


One Step Ahead

by stephswims



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2019-09-16 18:35:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16959333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephswims/pseuds/stephswims
Summary: Felicity Acerbi is married to esteemed Italian mob boss.  Married after a failed business deal with her father, she is forced into a life decided for her.  That is until a new body guard is hired.





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> This is rated explicit for domestic violence, violence in general, rape, implied rape, cheating, and smut.

Mornings like today used to be one of Felicity’s favorites.  The sun was shining brightly, not a cloud in the sky, with a slight chilly breeze.  This was perfect sweater weather, not too warm and not too cold.  She inhaled the crisp air, letting the coldness infiltrate her lungs, holding onto it as she entered the coffee shop, holding the door open for the woman behind her.  The persistent pressure in her chest never left as she wrapped her black sweater around her tighter and walked up to the counter.  She sighed involuntarily, something she had started doing a lot recently.

“How can I help you?” the barista asked cheerfully.  Felicity couldn’t help but smile as she placed her order and paid with the glittery black credit card.  It was the seemingly everyday things that she missed, walking outside, getting coffee, going shopping.  This was the first time she had left the mansion in a week, and she wanted to get out more, but she couldn’t help the pull she felt to get back to the mansion.  She pulled her phone out as she moved down the counter to wait for her drink.  She was feeling anxious and paranoid, but no new messages or calls put her slightly more at ease.  She sighed again as she nervously brushed her hair behind her ear and continued to the other end of the counter.  She felt a sudden pressure in her head and immediately looked up.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said with a nervous laugh, “I should have been looking where I was going.”  The man in front of her turned, and she felt her breath hitch.  He faced her completely, her head barely reaching his chest, his broad chest, even in her four-inch stilettos.  He pinned her in place with his blazing blue eyes and a smirk.

“That’s alright,” he replied softly, “I’m Oliver Queen.”  He reached out his hand, and she took it.  She could feel his quiet strength and could see the muscles of his arm moving under his Henley all the way up to his shoulder.  He was handsome, attractive, and she would have loved to stay staring into his eyes all day.  She could feel her cheeks warming at her less-than-innocent thoughts and knew she was turning pink, as the warmth spread down her neck to her chest.  She pulled her sweater tighter around her, even though her neck-high dress underneath would prevent the stranger from seeing anything. 

“Felicity Acerbi.  Nice to meet you,” Felicity replied as she pulled her hand back reluctantly.  She smiled up at him, as she continued to blush.  She brushed her hair back again as the woman behind her cleared her throat.

“Mrs. Acerbi,” she said with an emphasis on her title, causing Felicity to close her eyes, “your order is ready, and we are running late.”  The woman gracefully moved to grab the drinks on the counter and handed Felicity hers.  Felicity looked back up to the handsome stranger, who had tilted his head and was giving her a quizzical look.  She would probably never see this beautiful Oliver Queen again.  She might not even be able to leave the house alone again after this encounter, but she smiled warmly at him just the same.

“Have a good day, Mr. Queen,” she said softly, turning on her heel, not waiting for his response.  She could feel his eyes on her back until she left the café, just as she could feel the woman following inches behind her like a flea on a dog.

“Mrs. Acerbi,” the woman’s voice was harsh, and her accent made it sound even harsher, “I won’t tell Mr. Acerbi about this encounter, but next time, I will have no other choice.”  Felicity glanced at the woman trailing her and sighed again.

“Thank you, Alvara.  How kind of you.”  Her voice was dripping in sarcasm.  It had only been a couple of weeks with Alvara as her guard, but every day, Alvara felt less like a guard and more like a babysitter.

“Men like that don’t just introduce themselves to girls like you.”  Felicity could feel the pressure in her chest heat, bloom to something bigger, and spread throughout her body in her blood.  Although Alvara was probably right, Felicity wasn’t anything special, she could still daydream about being wanted by an attractive man, not that her husband wasn’t attractive.  He was.  He was the stereotypical dark Italian, powerful and rich.  What woman wouldn’t want to be married to him?  She should be grateful for what she had. 

Felicity climbed into the back of the waiting car silently.  She could take a little verbal abuse from Alvara, but it was becoming harder and harder to follow the schedule and instructions that were given to her.  She knew she could outsmart Alvara and probably every other guard on her husband’s staff, but she was saving that just in case things got worse. 

*****

Oliver walked up to the sprawling mansion and eyed the security detail surrounding it.  The beautiful woman from the coffee shop was on his mind.  She was obviously married, but he couldn’t help the feeling that warmed his chest even just thinking about her.  He flashed his badge as he entered a side building and headed towards the back of the house, nodding at various burly men standing outside doors lining the hallway.  He pushed thoughts of the blonde from his mind, as he entered the last door in the hallway, getting his mind back on his work.  Although he had been to the mansion for a tour and his own background check, today was his first official day.  The man at the desk snubbed out a cigarette and nodded a greeting.

“Oliver, welcome back!” The man’s boisterous voice filled the office bouncing off the wood surfaces.

“Mr. Acerbi, thank you again for the opportunity.  I had the pleasure of meeting your wife this morning,” Oliver greeted less boisterously than his employer, but his voice held almost the same authority.  He stood in front of the rich mahogany desk, crossing his arms over his chest, causing the leather of his jacket to squeak softly, adding to his strong demeanor.

“Wife?  If I were only that lucky,” the man said with a laugh, “You must mean my sister-in-law.  However, I am sure it was a pleasure.  I’ll have to tell my brother.”  He laughed boisterously again, and Oliver knew he had made his first, and hopefully only, mistake in his new job.  He was sure that speaking to his boss’s brother was a threat, and he immediately thought of the smiling woman in the café with hair as golden as the sun.  He didn’t know the details about the relationship between his employer, the woman, and her husband, but he didn’t like the way his employer spoke of her.  He didn’t think the woman, who practically radiated sunshine, fit in this world of the Mafia, but he was interested to get to see her again, maybe one day.  His employer’s words might have been appropriate on the surface, but his sneering tone deceived him and left Oliver with a nasty feeling that he filed away to deal with latter.

Oliver kept his stare hard and waited for his new employer to continue.

“And please, call me Mariano.  Mr. Acerbi is my brother.” Oliver nodded at the man as he stood.  “Your references were very good.  Bratva.  Exactly what I need.  I think you will be best as my personal guard.  You will report to me, and no one else, not even Mr. Acerbi.  I trust that I will have your confidence?  It will of course come with incentives, more than we agreed upon initially.”  Oliver continued to stare at his new employer and nodded.  After working security in the Bratva, he was sure he could handle the Mafia, more of the same.  He was surprised that the man in front of him wasn’t more concerned about his Bratva connections and the potential for infiltration, but he wasn’t about to bring that to his attention.

He walked over to the door and took his place beside it, arms still folded, eyes still cold. 

“Very good, Oliver.  I am sure we will get along very well.”  With that, his employer sat back at his desk and picked up the phone.

*****

Felicity slowly slid off her sweater.  Although it was practically a requirement to wear outside, she knew her husband would not appreciate her wearing it when he summoned her to his study.  She smoothed down the front of her dress as she stepped into her heels.  The past couple of weeks were neither better nor worse than she expected ever since she married the head of the Vegas Mafia.  She hadn’t spoken to or seen her husband since their wedding night.  He had refused to let her to move anything into the mansion from her past life.  She wasn’t attached to any materials things, but she did miss her freedom.  She twisted the knob to her bedroom door, grateful that he wanted to sleep separately, and stepped into the hallway.  She kept her footfalls steady as her heels clicked on the marble floor all the way to her husband’s study.  She kept her face controlled and emotionless as she knocked on the thick wooden door.

“Come in,” was the muffled response.  She entered slowly, keeping her composure, and facing her husband bravely.

“Ah, Felicity,” her husband greeted her with barely a glance as he read some papers on his desk, “I will be visiting you tonight.  It is time that we consummate our marriage.  I have already sent your outfit with Alvara.”

“Yes, Gideone.  Thank you,” Felicity answered softly with a nod, as a blush crept into her face.  There were two guards in the office with them.  Their expressions were stone cold, but she knew they had heard Gideone’s request.  They would know all the details of her sex life, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  The pressure in her chest returned as she remembered the events of their wedding night, guards posted outside the room – she was confident they heard everything that had passed between husband and wife, which wasn’t much.  Giedone had explained to her the responsibilities that came with being his wife and the expectations that he had.  He was kind, bringing her wine and giving her time to consider everything.  There was no sex that night, and she was both relieved and disappointed.  This was the man she would be having sex with for the rest of her life.  She wanted to make a good impression, and she wanted to please him.  She wasn’t new to sex; she had multiple partners before she got married, and she had needs.  Needs that she wanted fulfilled, but it didn’t happen that night, and the guards outside the door knew that.  They knew that Gideone had left her there in her wedding dress, sipping wine.

She prepared herself for a repeat of that night, private words and actions exchanged between a man and his wife, being heard and watched by the most trusted Mafia guards. 

“That’s all,” Gideone dismissed her with a wave of his hand.  She turned and left the study quickly, feeling the pressure in her chest turn hot.  As she closed the door and started the retreat to her quarters, she took deep breaths, willing the heat to cool or at least not to spread, and focused on the clicking of her heels.

******

“Oliver, I need a moment.” Mariano’s voice was still as boisterous as their first meeting, and Oliver was glad to leave the room just for the low throbbing that started in his temples an hour ago.  He swiftly removed himself from his employer’s study and shut the door quietly behind him.  He remained in front of the door, staring straight ahead, but listening to all the noises in the long hallway, ready to move if anything sounded suspicious.  He finally moved when he heard movement increasingly towards the door and kept his features composed as he recognized the dark woman from the café this morning.  He figured it was only a matter of time before he ran into her.

“Oliver. Alvara,” she announced herself as she stood squarely in front of Oliver.  He nodded in reply but didn’t speak, trying to figure out the guard in front of him.  If she was truly Mrs. Acerbi’s guard, she had no business in this building, which belonged, entirely, to Mariano….unless Mrs. Acerbi was present.  If that were the case, Oliver would have been the first to know.

“It’s nice to meet you formerly, Oliver.  I’m sure I’ll be seeing you in the main house.”  Her voice was straightforward, but Oliver detected a glint in her eyes.  He wasn’t quite sure what it meant, but as she walked away, he was left with a chilly feeling.  He would definitely need to keep his eye on that one and, in extension, Mrs. Acerbi, which he would have done regardless, just from their brief meeting this morning.  He had to admit that she left a lasting impression – he just could not get her out of his mind.

*****

Felicity let the scalding water pound on her body, letting it flow down her body in rivers, carrying away the residue from the previous hour.  Her sensitive skin was red from the heat, but she continued to let the water scald her, numbing her.  Every time she tried to close her eyes, she could see the images of what they had done.  She was a willing participant, but the entire encounter had felt wrong.  She had dutifully worn the red, lace negligee that her husband had so graciously provided.  She wore the matching red stilettos that he had left on her bed, and she had worn the deep red lipstick left in her bathroom.  Ironic, since he had barely looked at her face. 

She had followed his orders, crawled onto the bed on her hands and knees, putting herself on full display for him, letting him ogle her ass.  She arched her back to display it more profoundly for his pleasure.  She let him thrust into her, over and over again.  She didn’t tell him to stop when he painfully hit her cervix.  She had turned her whimpers into moans for his pleasure.

Even then, she couldn’t close her eyes.  It would have only made the pain more pronounced.  She stared ahead at the headboard, letting him have his way with her.  She could feel his fingers painfully gripping her hips, and she didn’t have to look at them to know there were bruises there. 

She had let this happen.  She didn’t say no, even though it made her sick to her stomach.  She wasn’t physically strong.  She knew that.  She knew that her husband could overpower her easily, but she also knew that she was smarter than him.  She wasn’t one to rush her decisions.  She needed time.  She needed to learn her husband’s vulnerabilities, and that is when she would act.

She could feel the stickiness still between her thighs and an ache in her center that had her throbbing and craving an ice pack, but she certainly wasn’t going to be leaving her room tonight.  She reluctantly turned off the water and dried off with a towel before dressing in a clean negligee, also bought by her husband, since none of her clothes came with her when she moved into the mansion. 

She checked the lock on her bedroom door before turning to the bed where she had just consummated her marriage.  The rumpled sheets caused her stomach to turn.  She would have to find new sheets tomorrow.  Until then, she grabbed a pillow and curled up on her couch with a cashmere throw in an attempt to block the events of the evening out of her mind in order to get some sleep.


	2. A New Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new normal for Felicity living in the mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there is rape in this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

She had five minutes, but she couldn’t find her phone anywhere.  She could have sworn she left it on the table by the door last night with her wallet, but it wasn’t there. She huffed out a sigh, resigning to the fact that she would have to go to breakfast without it.  She unlocked the door and prepared herself for another awkward meal. 

She entered the family dinning room quietly, pulling her shirt down nervously, trying to cover herself. 

“Good morning, Gideone,” she greeted softly as she sat to his right, where she was expected.  A member of the staff immediately brought a covered plate to her. 

“Felicity, I want you to be comfortable here.  After all, this is your home, too,” Gideone greeted as he stared at him over his coffee cup.  “Bring some coffee for my wife,” he commanded from the woman serving breakfast, and she immediately felt more at ease.  She could handle a lot of things, but if she wasn’t allowed to drink coffee, she would surely die, rather quickly.

“She’s had a late night if you know what I mean,” Gideone chided as he laughed with the guard next to him.  Felicity could feel her cheeks turn red and immediately hid her face by taking a gulp of burning coffee. 

“My brother is coming for dinner tonight, Felicity, in the grand dinning room.  I’ll send a dress up.  It is important that you make a good impression, and dresses do that.” 

She could feel her husband’s eyes on her as she looked at her lap, at the black leggings she had chosen this morning, and tried to control her facial expressions.  She was a certified genius, and she knew exactly what her husband was trying to say, no matter how densely he tried to verbalize it.  She took another sip of coffee, ignoring the eggs in front of her.

“Yes, yes they do, Gideone.”  She smiled sweetly at her husband who returned her smile.

“I’m glad we agree.  I must get going.  If you need anything else for tonight, Alvara will get it for you.”

With the last word, her husband promptly left with his guards, leaving Felicity with the staff member in charge of breakfast.  She took another sip of coffee, letting the bitter liquid warm her. 

“Mrs. Acerbi, can I make you something else?  You haven’t touched your breakfast.”  The woman’s voice was soft, her Italian accent heavy, as she patted Felicity’s shoulder.

“No, thank you, this is fine,” Felicity responded with a smile to the older woman, as she picked up her fork.  She wasn’t feeling hungry, but she couldn’t bear the look of concern on the older woman’s face, so she would eat.

“Is there more coffee, Miss…”

“Maria, but please Miss Felicity, you are not supposed to call me by a name,” the older woman explained as she poured more coffee.  Felicity could feel the tightness in her chest returning.

“Oh Maria,” Felicity’s voice was soft, “Thank you for the coffee….and the insight.  Will I see you tomorrow morning?”

“Of course.  And tonight.  Every meal, I will serve.”  The woman smiled politely, and Felicity felt at least a little bit of warmth over her skin, but the tightness still persisted.  Maybe, she could find some humanity in this place.  She nodded with a smile as she grabbed the freshly poured coffee and excused herself, leaving her plate of eggs and bacon practically untouched.

*****

Oliver had spent the morning standing guard outside the open door to Mariano’s office.  The man didn’t seem to do much of anything.  He answered the phone a couple of times, smoked a few cigars, drank plenty of scotch, but Oliver couldn’t pinpoint anything substantial.  He occasionally bellowed some remarks to Oliver, but no one had entered or exited his office.  This job might be easier than expected. 

“Oliver, there’s a little place downtown I think you’d enjoy.  I think we’ll go there tonight after dinner,” his boss bellowed again.  Oliver just grunted at his boss’s suggestion.  His job was not to humor his boss or enjoy little places downtown.  His job was to protect the underboss to the head of the Vegas Mafia. 

“We’re going to the Lakes,” Mariano announced as he headed past Oliver.  Finally, Oliver’s day just got interesting.

*****

Felicity entered her bedroom and immediately locked the door behind her.  She sighed as the tightness in her chest loosened enough that she could be comfortable.  Her stomach lurched as she turned towards the now-made bed.  She doubted that the sheets were changed.  She slipped out of her heels and sank on her couch, noticing her wallet and phone on one of the cushions.  She would swear on her life that they weren’t there when she left her quarters that morning, but she was so tired from the events of the previous night, that she couldn’t be sure.  Her eyes were burning, not from the contacts she wore daily now, but from the temptation of sleep calling to her.  She was barely twenty, but this was the rest of her life.  Unsatisfying sex, sleepless nights, and outfits picked out for her.  She smirked sarcastically at the thought, as she picked up her laptop from the ornate coffee table in front of her.  She leaned back into the lush cushions and entered her password.

No normal person would have noticed; most professionals in the computer science industry wouldn’t have noticed either, but she was a certified genius.  She was lucky that she graduated with her masters at 19, right before her marriage was arranged.  She smirked again as she glanced at her phone.  Oh yes, her husband took many precautions.  Even she had to admit her husband was smart.  But, she was smarter.

Her first order of business was to order new linens for her bed.  From the moment she stepped into this room, she immediately hated the plain white sheets and blankets.  It was sterile, hotel-like.  If she was going to stay here, she would be making a few changes to her quarters.  The bed linens were the first to go.  She reached for her wallet, that she was now confident had not been there when she woke this morning and was placed there while she had breakfast.  Her wallet had thinned out since their nuptials.  She now only carried her license, her husband-issued credit card, and a lipstick, so it was easy to tell that it was missing. 

The knot in her chest tightened, bringing with it heat, spreading throughout her body, boiling her blood, coloring her cheeks in a furious red that would keep spreading, tightening the knot in her chest.  She took deep breaths until she knew the redness would subside, but the heat was still there.  She tossed her laptop back to the table and slipped into her heels.  She would allow her husband to control her, spy on her.  She would wear whatever pleased him, from her shoes to her lipstick, but she needed to have some freedom.  For the past few weeks, that credit card was her only lifeline.  She would shop online, and the boxes would be delivered straight to her room by the staff.  It was the only thing that kept her from going insane from boredom.  She needed that card.

She always stayed well within her spending limit, so there was no reason her husband should take her credit card away, and she was only buying toiletries, new makeup, and nail polish.  She did buy a leather jacket and flannel pajama pants on a whim, and the black leggings and oversized sweater she was wearing now.  Her heels clacked down her hallway, down the marble staircase, and into her husband’s private hallway.  Her mind was going a mile a minute, willing her feet to do the same.

Her shoulder hit something hard, something very hard, but she was so angry, she literally could not see straight.  Everything was blurry, and continued to be, as she spun from the impact, feeling a heat on her waist.  This heat was different, comforting, not the burning sensation she had been feeling ever since she performed her wifely duty the night before.  She looked up, and blue eyes were so close, her nose was practically touching his.

“Mr. Queen.”  Her voice was soft, but any observant person could hear the anger vibrating underneath. 

“Mrs. Acerbi, I assume you want to see your husband?”  His voice was low.  He clearly didn’t want anyone to hear their conversation, causing Felicity to glance to the door a little way down the hall.  She gulped and nodded, urging the redness to stay with the knot in her chest, taking a deep breath through her nose to prevent blushing in front of this gigantic mass of muscle.  Her nose brushed against his with her breath, but he didn’t back away.  She felt the warmth on her waist.  She could be imagining it, but she thought she felt his fingers tighten ever so slightly, drawing her closer.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.  There’s been a….the underboss is discussing some matters of importance.”  His eyes continued to bore into hers, but she didn’t back down.  She continued to stare back, silently challenging him.

As if on cue, the door opened, and Oliver took a large step back, removing his hand from her waist.  She turned, quick enough to see her brother-in-law leave the study, and her heels immediately set their rampage on the marble floor.  She breezed in, ignoring Mariano, as she strode in the spacious offices, quickly noticing the guards were stationed outside, and slammed the door behind her.  The knot in her chest tightened further in apprehension of what she was instinctively doing.  Her blood was hot with fury, as she rounded on her husband sitting casually behind his desk.

“Ah, Felicity, I had a feeling you would be visiting me at work.  I just didn’t think it would be this soon,” he greeted her with a sneer, swiveling on his chair to face her, which only heated her blood more.

“I have done everything you asked.  I only leave once a week.   I take Alvara when I do.  I wear the clothes, the shoes, the lipstick you ask, and I will continue to do so, but I need something, some sort of façade of independence.”  Felicity kept her voice soft, but she stood tall, exuding strength.

Gideone chuckled as he stood up, placing his hands on her waist.  She felt his warmth through her sweater; it was the third type of warmth she felt on her skin this morning.  On the surface, it was warm, but it turned burning, like he was branding his fingerprints into her skin.  The heat in his eyes burned hers, and she realized she had made a mistake.  It was not smart to position herself on his side of the desk; she should have left it between them.

“You don’t need any independence, moglie,” he sneered, using the Italian word for wife in a tone that sent shivers down her spine.  He roughly turned her, so she was facing his ornate desk, back to him.  He effectively trapped her between his desk and his muscular body.  With anyone else, she might have been turned on, but she knew Gideone meant every word he said.  He didn’t care about her or her independence.  He only cared that she was the perfect trophy mob wife.  “And you are not wearing what I requested,” he continued roughly, as he yanked her leggings down and pushed her into his desk further.  She vaguely heard him unzipper his own pants.  She bit her lip in anticipation of what was coming and held onto the desk, her knuckles turning white.  She felt her heel slip on the marble floor as he pushed his leg between hers.  He entered her roughly and quickly in one thrust; her teeth dug further into her lip, and she tasted blood.  She willed herself to stay quiet, refusing to whimper as he continuously thrust into her, grunting, pushing her back harder, so she was bent over his desk. 

She felt pins pricking her eyes, but she continued starting at the wood of his desk.  The pressure of him inside her more painful every time he thrust into her.  Her hips hurt, where his hands held her into his desk.  She could practically feel her skin purpling.  Her ears started ringing from the pain of him hitting her cervix with his repeated thrusts, but she willed herself to stay conscious.  She could barely hear his grunting as she alternated between holding her breath and taking deep, calming breaths.  He sped up, and she dug into her lip harder, rolling it into her mouth.  She squeezed her eyes as he came.  His fingers squeezing harder into her hips and thrusting harder than she thought was humanely possible.  Once he was done, she felt him pull out with a sigh, his cum running down her thighs.  She exhaled as she heard his zipper and tensed when she felt his fingers on her legs.  He gently pulled her leggings up, dressing her, almost like a gentleman would, and he tugged on her shoulders, so she was standing once again.  Her head was spinning as he wrapped his arms around her, his nose tracing the outline of his ear.

“What is it that you wanted, moglie?” he asked gently.  She took a deep breath, willing her voice to be steady.

“Some new bed linens,” she replied softly, eyes downcast, still staring at the wood of the desk, memorizing the grain pattern.

“Send what you want to Alvara, and she will make sure you get whatever you want.”  She nodded slowly, knowing it was a lie.  Alvara would, no doubt, be running all requests straight back to her husband.

“I’ll see you at dinner,” Giedone dismissed her with a kiss to her ear.  She nodded again slowly, not breathing until she was safely back in her bedroom with the door locked.


	3. Resolutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity continues to live as wife to the Mafia King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to leave kudos or a comment. I am so, so sorry for the delay in updating. I am hoping to get back to the normal Sunday update either this week or next.

Felicity didn’t know what time it was.  She didn’t care.  Yes, she was supposed to be downstairs by 6:30 for dinner, but she couldn’t bring herself to get dressed or even look at the time.  She showered in scalding water until her skin was red and raw, and the water turned lukewarm.  She rubbed the fancy lotion, that was a gift from Gideone, into her red skin.  Even though she didn’t want to, she had to admit the lotion was soothing.  It wasn’t something she would ever buy for herself; it smelled heavily of some flower that she didn’t care to even learn the name.

She exited the bathroom and sighed deeply when she saw the box sitting on her bed.  Another gaudy outfit that she would have to wear.  She was quickly learning that the soldiers and captains beneath her husband determined his status based on what she was wearing.  If she wore a brightly colored dress, then her husband was doing well, making money and not suspected by the authorities.  Black was bad.  She was never to wear black unless her husband went to prison, which was a pity, especially since that’s all she felt like wearing these days.  And pants.  Pants were never allowed at her level.  Pants were for the help.  She was supposedly much  better than them, even though she felt like she fit in more with them than with the captains’ wives.  She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the thought. 

She fingered the red, lacey material.  She wasn’t surprised.  All the dresses and lingerie Gideone had sent her were red, various shades, but still red.  She let her towel fall to the ground as she slipped into the skimpy lingerie and shimmied into the overly tight dress.  This was her life now.  Once married into the Mafia, there was no leaving it, and the sooner she accepted that, the easier it would be.  Or so she kept telling herself.  She blinked until the prickling feeling in her eyes faded, and she willed herself to be numb until she could lock herself back in this room for the night.

*****

Although her heels were at least four inches, she still barely came to Gideone’s shoulder.  Physically, he was a handsome man, broad and strong, but his fingers digging into her hip made her want to vomit.  She tried to take deep breaths without making any noise, but the dress was so tight, her breasts would heave up and almost pop out.  She was sure her husband appreciated the dress by his smirk and nod of approval when he first saw her. 

Guiding her with the arm around her waist, he practically pushed her into the formal dining room.  She could feel the pressure and heat of his hard body on her side, but she also felt a brush a warmth on her opposite arm.  As she looked up, her breath hitched as she noticed Oliver, standing guard behind his boss.  Her chest constricted as she noticed he didn’t even look at her, just stared straight ahead surveying the large room.  She didn’t have time to process why she was feeling…disappointed?  Her husband quickly guided her to her designated seat and all but pushed her into it.

*****

Even though Felicity was getting used to the lavish dinners served, she felt extra restless tonight.  She successfully made it through the first two appetizer courses and was chewing through the first course, but her dress was too tight and too low cut.  She had to be careful not to drop anything down her ridiculous dress.  She would much rather be in leggings, wrapped in the ridiculously expensive chenille blankets in her room, eating junk food.  Those days were far behind her, but at least the wine was good, and there was plenty of it.  She also had to admire the crystal wine glasses that she drank out of every night. 

She smiled nicely, as was expected of her, but she was listening to the business talk between her husband and her brother-in-law, who kept sneaking glances her way.  It wasn’t a condescending look that she was used to getting from her husband, but it still put her on edge.  As Maria took the first course away and started serving the second course, Felicity stole a glance at Oliver.  She was surprised to find him studying her.  Her eyes met his blue ones, and she found it hard to breathe.  She wasn’t sure if it was his piercing stare or her dress, but she quickly looked away so no one would notice. 

She gingerly bit into the main course but quickly took a sip of water.  Her damn dress was just way too tight; she was having trouble breathing.  Gideone must have heard her deep inhale.  For the first time since the meal started, he looked at her.  He actually looked concerned, and Felicity used that to her advantage and excused herself.

*****

Oliver was good at his job.  He was observant and was known for seeing and hearing things that others ignored.  He also had excellent reflexes, which almost got him in trouble with his boss’s brother tonight.  He heard them approach.  Anyone who was half as good as he was could.  He could hear her heels clicking on the marble floor, and he could smell her flowery perfume.  He wasn’t usually attracted to strong perfumes, but the flowery scent suited her.  Her blond hair was like sunshine, so it was only fitting she smelled of flowers.

He wasn’t looking at her when she entered the dining room on the arm of her husband, a husband he knew didn’t deserve her, but when her arm brushed with his, he reflexively reached out for her.  He quickly resumed his previous position and hoped no one saw him. 

In addition to his reflexes, he was also known for his self-control, and he depended on it.  He didn’t look at her purposely.  He remembered her eyes from their first meeting and that morning.  He remembered her smile and her glorious laugh.  But most importantly, he remembered her kindness.  He was never on the receiving end of it, but he could just tell she was one of those people who would do anything for anyone. 

He exercised his self-control until the first appetizer was served, and then he stole a glance at her.  He only intended one glance, but he couldn’t look away.  When he had met her at the café, there was something about her.  She exuded sunshine.  This morning, when he had blocked her from entering her husband’s office, she exuded power, goddess-like.  The fury behind her eyes scared him if he was being honest with himself.  She might be a petite woman, but he did not doubt her strength.  There was something different about her at dinner though.  There was no sunshine, no power surrounding her.  And he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

She was smiling.  It was a genuine smile, but it did not reach her eyes.  She kept reaching for her wine glass and sipping slowly, savoring the taste, with her eyes closed, and he would swear on his life that every time she did, her smile grew infinitesimally bigger.  She looked tired, fidgeting ever so slightly in her chair, eating slowly, fingers playing along the rim of her wine glass or tracing the steam.  He couldn’t help but wonder if she was a little sad.  He didn’t know her well enough to say, but he felt an unsurpassable urge to find out.  She might be sad, but her hair was still sunshine.  It lay on her shoulders, shining under the lights.  It looked soft, and if only they were alone, he would reach out and touch it, rub it in between his fingers to feel how soft it was.

And then there was her dress.  Honestly, he didn’t even notice it at first, but he was staring at her hair, and it laid perfectly right above her breasts.  It was hard not to notice them in that dress, perfectly cupped and begging to be free.  He would love to be the one to free them.  His thoughts were going to a dangerous place when she looked at him.  Her blue eyes met his, and she looked so sad that he couldn’t look away.  She finally broke eye contact to smile at Maria.  He was grateful for that because there was just something about her.  He couldn’t stop staring, and he didn’t want to.  Her shoulders and arms looked strong, and he wondered how it would feel to have those arms wrapped around him.  The table was obscuring her legs, but he was sure they were just as strong as her arms.  His eyes went back to her breasts as she heaved and quickly reached for her water glass. 

Thankfully, she left the room soon after that.  He was losing his self-control and focus because of her.  Her quick departure, heels clicking rapidly against the floor, reminded him of her fiery eyes he looked into just that morning.  His powerful goddess was back.  He tried to catch her eye as she rushed past him, but she didn’t look up to his disappointment.  She was the only interesting person in the room, and he would have to resign to boredom while she was gone.

It wasn’t long after she left when he heard a loud thud.  In the boss’s house, his guards should be investigating, but no one seemed to move.  He almost doubted if they even heard it.  He quickly exited the dinning room to investigate. 

He didn’t know what to expect as he entered the hall, but it was quiet, too quiet.  With Felicity just exiting the dining room, he should have heard her heels clicking away at the marble floor, except there was silence.  That information made him move faster. 

As he turned the corner, to the main stairs, he saw red and blonde.  He could feel his heart beating faster, although he wasn’t sure why.  Well, he knew why, but he didn’t want to admit it.  This woman did something to him, made him feel things.  Things that he should not be feeling around a married woman.  He rushed to her crumpled body, laying hunched over the bottom steps, and quickly turned her over.  He brushed the hair from her face, and he immediately identified the panic in her eyes.

“Peanuts,” she wheezed quietly, “pen…purse…bed…”  She continued to wheeze through her speech, but he understood her.

“It’s ok,” he replied calmly, “I got you.”  He quickly scooped her up and was surprised at how light she felt.  He could feel her wheezing in his own chest, but he heard her broken directions.  He quickly opened her door and laid her on the bed, quickly searching for her purse.  Finding it on the coffee table, he emptied it hurriedly, but it didn’t take him long to search through her sparse belongings to find her EpiPen.

He made his way back to her.  Thankfully, her short, tight dress left plenty of thigh exposed to stick her, and he did so without thinking, reacting on instinct to save the woman laying before him.  He withdrew the needle and watched her close her eyes with a nod, still wheezing.  He sat on the bed next to her, holding her hand, rubbing her knuckles softly, waiting for some sort of confirmation that it was working.  He watched her chest rise and fall.

“Couch please,” she whispered.  He immediately scooped her up again, liking the feeling of her tiny body so close to his and moved her to the couch.  He wrapped her in a throw blanket that he found and sat next to her staring.

“Thank you,” she said softly as she opened her eyes, still breathing heavy with a slight wheeze, “Can you…I know this is weird…but please…”  She closed her eyes again, trying to take deep breaths, waiting for the effects of the epinephrine to fully kick in.

“What is it?  What do you need?” He asked, anxious to help her in anyway.

“This dress…I can’t breathe in this dress.”  She opened her eyes slowly and stared at him.  He could see the wonder, the pleading in them.  It would be very inappropriate for him to take her dress off, but he couldn’t deny her anything, especially when she could barely breathe.  He nodded and helped her sit up, making sure the blanket stayed between them.  She rested her forehead on his shoulder, finding a spot between his leather jacket and t-shirt, and he could smell that strong floral scent from her hair.  He found himself wondering what she would smell like without all that perfume as he wrapped his arms around her.  As soon as his hands touched her the back of her dress, she sobbed.  He gently released the zipper, avoiding her skin.  She sobbed harder, and he could soon feel the hot moisture on his shoulder as her hands pulled at his t-shirt. 

He found himself unable to pull away as she cried, and he couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her.  He held her tight, like he would never hold her again, and he probably wouldn’t.  She was off limits, and his desire for her would put both of their lives at risk.

“I’m sorry.  I’m not normally like this,” she said softly after a few minutes, still wheezing slightly, as she pulled back enough to look in his eyes.  Her eyes were a vibrant blue, brighter than any blue he had seen before.

“It’s ok.  You’re allergic to peanuts? I feel bad for the keep who put them into the food.”  He tried to joke, to diffuse the awkward tension between them, as she still held his shirt and his arms were still wrapped around her.  She laughed softly, sniffling, and breaking eye contact.

“I doubt Don knows,” she replied using the title of her husband, as was expected of her when talking to lowly soldiers of the mafia, “There will no retributions.”  She smiled sadly, and he couldn’t help but slowly wipe a tear from her eye.

“How does he not know?  He is your husband.”  His hand stayed cupping her cheek, and she sighed softly.

“No, I am his wife.  He doesn’t care.”  She dropped her head and her hands, effectively breaking all contact from him, and he took the hint.  He dropped his hand from her cheek but kept his other arm around her.

“I’ll get you some water,” he whispered, “and I’ll call for the doctor.”

“No,” her voice was surprisingly strong, “I’m fine.  I just need to sleep it off.”   

He nodded and finally released her.  He didn’t know what it was about her, but he wasn’t about to deny her anything, so he left her, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something bad was about to happen as he shut her bedroom door softly.   


	4. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity decides to stay or go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos. I am so happy people are enjoying this. This chapter is quite angsty. Rape/suicide triggers in this chapter.

It had been one week from what Felicity decided was the worst day of her life.  Between the incident in Gideone’s office and ingesting peanuts, she couldn’t remember a worse day.  Even they day Gideone’s goons came for her didn’t compare.  Since the peanut incident, Gideone had softened slightly toward her, and she was grateful.  She was still expected at dinner, but he had Maria bring breakfast and lunch to her room.  The poor woman had apologized profusely, promising she didn’t know about Felicity’s nut allergy and promising to always triple check every meal from now, which only made Felicity feel worse.  She kept remembering Oliver’s words: How does he not know?  He is your husband.

Those words had made Felicity resolve to change.  She knew there was no escaping the mafia.  Divorce was not an option.  If her husband went to jail, she would still be expected to visit him and keep up appearances.  If her husband died, she would be pawned off to another captain.  She had to make the best of this very bad situation.

And Gideone had changed this past week.  That must mean he felt some remorse…or something for her.  He had even sent her proper pajamas, red silk, but at least it was pants and a button up top that she could feel somewhat comfortable in.  He approved the request for new sheets and bedding that she had ordered through Alvara, and there were no nightly visits.

Felicity slipped on the long-sleeve, red bodycon dress and slipped into her favorite pair of heels.  She had to admit the designer dresses and shoes imported from Italy were a perk.  This was her marriage, the rest of her life, and although it was decided for her, she was in control of things going forward.  She refused to be a damsel in distress, a Rapunzel.  She decided to play the part that was handed her, enjoy the decadent food, devour the exquisite wine, and dress up in the fanciest clothes.

She ran her fingers through her hair one last time before leaving her room and making her way to the formal dinning room.  Through Maria, she heard that the Underboss would be joining them for dinner this evening.  She figured that Oliver would be there, but she refused to get her hopes up.  She was a married woman; the heavy rings on her left ring finger were a constant reminder.  Besides, in this business, he might not even be alive anymore. 

She smiled brightly at her husband and brother-in-law as she made her way to her designated seat.  She refused to look at Oliver, standing dutifully behind his boss, but she was happy he was there.  She suppressed the butterflies, the hope, that he would take notice of her and focused solely on her husband.  She squeezed his thigh under the table and gave him a soft smile.  She was in control, and she would make this marriage work.

*****

The Mafia had nothing on the Bratva.  His job was easy.  He followed his boss, the Underboss, everywhere, but everyone seemed to love him.  Mariano always asked the captains about their families, and he seemed to genuinely care about their answers.  Oliver especially loved when they went to the Don’s house.  His boss would always drink to much, which always resulted in Oliver escorting him back to his house where he would pass out early, ensuring Oliver would have a night to himself.

It was also a perk that he got to see Felicity those same nights.  He had done some background research on the wife of the Don, but he couldn’t figure out why she had married into the Mafia.  Maybe she really did love the guy?  Tonight, she looked smitten, smiling at him, laughing at his awful jokes causing Oliver’s stomach to drop in disappointment.  She had an aura of strength about her, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not get her off his mind.

She came into the dining room and was a vision.  He was sure she would be gorgeous in overalls covered with mud, but her dress was stunning.  It was short, finally giving him a chance to ogle her toned legs.  She was strong; there was no doubt about that.  She could keep up with him hiking or running, or, hell, she would probably leave him in the dust.  He would love to get the chance to workout with her one day.

The dress covered her chest completely, and her arms, but her muscles were still visible, but she was still tiny.  She barely came up to her husband’s shoulders, and her husband was taller than he was. 

He most definitely should not be crushing on his boss’s boss’s wife, but her strength called to him. And then there was her smile.  Talk about lighting up a room.  Her smile was so much more than that.  He swore her smile was either the cause of global warming or would be able to supply energy for the rest of the planet to reverse it.  Shit, he was in deep. 

*****

She had waited in her room patiently, but the minutes seemed to stop.  She was sure, after her initiated contact at dinner and pleasing smiles, that he would come to her room tonight.  She thought he would have gotten the message that she was fine.  At 11:30, she decided she would go to him.  She had never been to his room before, but she knew where it was.  She felt nervous as she stood outside the ornate door, so she smoothed her dress down for what felt like the hundredth time.  She took a deep breath and knocked.  She was feeling silly to be nervous around her husband.

The door opened quickly.  Gideone’s shirt was unbuttoned, highlighting his muscles.  She licked her lips, trying not to stare.

“Felicity, what are you doing here? Is everything all right?”  His voice seemed agitated, but she didn’t let that deter her.

“Yes, everything is fine.  I just figured we could…” her voice trailed off, unsure of how to proposition her husband, but they were still newlyweds and still new to the whole marriage thing, so she figured, optimistically, that it would get better in time.  Her train of thought was broken by Gideone’s laugh.

“Felicity, let’s go to your room.” He quickly stepped toward her, forcing her back, and shut the door behind him.  He grabbed her wrist and led her to her own room, pulling her in behind him.  He turned abruptly again and reached behind her to shut her door.  He was close, her head at his chest.  She could smell his soap, nothing like the heavily perfumed stuff he insisted she wear.  It was actually something she liked.

“I have to say this is nice surprise, but let’s get one thing straight,” Gideone whispered lowly, giving her chills, as he held her against the door with his massive body.  “I am the one who decides when we do what.”  He reached up to brush a hair behind her ear.  His fingers traced the contour of her neck until he reached her collarbone.  Felicity could feel her heart beat increasing at the gentle touch.

“Are we clear?” He demanded before suddenly grabbing her neck and squeezing.  She could barely say yes from the lack of air, and she knew it was only time before black started invading her vision.  She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard her dress rip and felt his rough fingers push inside her.  She felt her eyes prickle but refused to let him see her cry.  He removed his fingers from her core to unzip his trousers but left the ones at her throat.  She took small breaths through her nose to keep the blackness at bay.  She relaxed her eyes to avoid displaying how unpleasant this was for her.  She kept them down and could see him pump himself before thrusting inside of her.

“You’re a little whore, aren’t you?” he sneered into her ear, as he continued to thrust roughly, hitting her cervix continuously.  She held her breath knowing that this would all be over soon enough and let her mind wander to other things.

She thought about sex with her last boyfriend in college, and it was a good thing that she couldn’t breathe because she wanted to laugh out loud to the similarities.  It was usually uncomfortable for her, always on his terms, and constantly left her wanting for more.  She would always treat herself to a glass of wine afterward, which was usually from a box from the closest Wine & Spirits store.  That got her thinking to the wine from dinner tonight.  It was red and velvety and exploded on her taste buds.  She would have to remember to ask Maria for a bottle to be sent up.

The uncomfortable thrusting continued.  The tightness in her neck was still present, but her thoughts turned to shopping.  She just really wanted to go shopping.  She usually just went online for all her shopping, but since she wasn’t allowed to leave the mansion for an entire week, she would love to go to a shopping strip or the mall.  She would love to spend her husband’s money on cozy chenille blankets and gourmet coffee.  She would buy wine from France, which was not allowed in this house.  She would also buy that new lipstick shade in hot pink (also a no-no as per Gideone – only reds for her) and that blue eyeshadow that was just released. 

She tried to focus on makeup, as the pressure around her throat starting increasing.  She could not breathe at all now, so she tried to inventory her entire collection of makeup before she got married, but the black spots started to invade her vision.  Numbness started spreading throughout her body, and she felt herself growing heavier before the black spots conquered.

*****

She didn’t remember how she got into her bed, but when she woke, she was still wearing her torn dress and her heels.  She was laying on the top of the comforter.  Her legs were shaking, and her core was throbbing.  She refused to allow herself to remember what had just occurred as she slipped off her heels and walked shakily to the bathroom.  She quickly replaced her contacts with glasses.  She filled the tub, using the hottest setting.  She slipped out of her dress and the equally torn lingerie and sank into the water.  Her skin stung from the hotness of the water, but she resolved to stay submerged. She fixed her hair into a bun at the top of her head and laid back, so the water was up to her chin.

She felt a few tears escape and stared at the water.  She thought it would be so easy to just sink down a little lower, cover her face with water, and stay there forever.  A few more tears wound their way down her face. 

******

By the time she got out of the tub and back into her silk pajamas, it was already 6am.  Maria would be coming with her breakfast at 7am and discover the bruises around her neck.  Felicity wrapped herself further in her blankets and sank into her couch.  She didn’t think she would ever sleep in a bed again.

It had been a month since she got married.  She had gotten the birth control shot right before, so she had two months until she would need another one.  She promised herself that she would not need it.  Two months.  She could devise a plan and escape in two months.  She was a genius.  Two months was certainly enough time.  She would probably have to spend the rest of her life on the run, in hiding, looking over her shoulder, but it was better than her current situation.

She scooted further into the couch and turned on her side.  Her laptop was sitting on the coffee table in front of her, but she didn’t feel like starting now.  Gideone was watching her electronically.  Her phone and her laptop had been tapped.  She would need to block the tap, hack into his computer or computers to erase the blocking.  That way, he would be none the wiser.  She would also have to feed him fake activity, so he wouldn’t grow suspicious.

She planned all of this, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.  She would give herself one day.  One day to rest, and then she would get to work.


	5. The Day After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after the awful encounter with Gideone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the sweet comments and kudos! I really do appreciate them all! I apologize for the lateness of my update, and I feel like it's a little short, but I am planning to update on Sunday again!

She was walking in a forest.  Greenery surrounding her; the crisp air burning her nostrils as she inhaled deeply.  Blue skies peaking through the canopy of trees; sunlight streaming through the nooks and crannies of overlapping leaves.  Birds were chirping, squirrels jumping from tree to tree, chipmunks running along the beaten path.

She was climbing uphill.  Her breaths became shorter, as she continued to inhale deeply.  More of her weight was carried through her arms and the hiking poles that she used to help propel herself forward.  Her thighs were burning with the increased steepness; her calves straining.

She entered a clearing where a small log cabin stood.  A swing creaking with the slight breeze.  A fire crackling before the porch.  She inhaled deeply again, letting the campfire smell calm her, but there was something else.  Something cooking…

A man appeared before her.  Oliver.  His hand outstretched, waiting for her.  His lips twitched upward as she grabbed his hand.  He pulled her into his strong arms, wrapping them completely around her.  She was safe.

*****

Felicity slowly blinked her eyes open.  It was a dream.  She felt a tear slowly make its way down her cheek as she stared at the tray of food Maria had brought up earlier.  She must have fallen asleep on the couch in the early hours of the morning.  She didn’t know what time it was, sometime after seven when Maria normally brought her breakfast.  The curtains will still shut, just letting a sliver of light in the room.  She blinked back more tears.  Her throat hurt.  She knew Maria saw the bruises from the position she was sleeping.

She heard the door creak open.  She saw Alvara from the corner of her eye approach. 

“Felicity, clothes for dinner tonight,” Alvara said softly, as she gestured to the black pile of clothes before setting them next to the tray of uneaten breakfast and cold coffee.  Felicity raised her eyes to look at her bodyguard, unspeaking but eyes questioning the black material just the same.

“Don will be leaving for New York before dinner.  Mariano, however, will be joining you.  I thought you’d like something a little more comfortable.  Here’s a salve,” Alvara continued, holding a jar up, “for your neck.  Maria made it for you.  She’ll bring you up some tea for your throat in a little bit.”

Felicity couldn’t find the words but nodded at Alvara, who gave a small smile in return and promptly left. 

Felicity closed her eyes again, hoping for a couple more hours of worry-free sleep.

*****

Oliver lead the way down the hallway of the mansion towards the Don’s office with his boss close behind him.  They passed numerous guards, but they didn’t intimidate Oliver in the slightest.  He might not be the tallest guy, but what he lacked for in height, he made up for in bulk.  He stopped in front of the appointed door, where Mariano was supposed to meet his brother, but instead of entering, Oliver turned towards his boos.  He blocked the door effectively with his bulk.

“Do you want to interrupt?” Olive asked with a raised eyebrow, causing Mariano to smirk in return.

“I suppose not,” Mariano chuckled as he leaned against the door frame and lazily knocked with the back of his knuckles.

It was easy to hear the moaning on the other side of the door, and Oliver felt his stomach drop, like there was no hope left in the world.  The breathy voice was clearly enjoying herself, and the increasing frequency of banging wood indicated it would be over soon enough.  Oliver cleared his voice awkwardly and continued to stare down the hallway, keeping a lookout for any danger, though he doubted there would be any.

“A lucky man, my brother,” Mariano broke the awkward silence, “His wife is quite attractive.  I suppose that’s why he picked her.”  Oliver chose not to look at his boss or acknowledge his comment.  He didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until the office door swung open a few minutes later, revealing a leggy brunette in a wrinkled dress.   He knew he shouldn’t, but Oliver couldn’t help but feel relieved. 

*****

Felicity stared in the mirror as she applied the salve to her throat.  She had pulled her hair back into a low messy bun.  She knew she should probably leave it down, to attempt to hide the finger marks around her throat, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.  She couldn’t bring herself to care about her appearance in front of her brother-in-law.  She was grateful for the black ensemble provided by Alvara.  The black pants were tight but comfortable, and the black shirt was flowy and modest.  She found herself wondering why Alvara provided these clothes, along with the mysterious black flats she found in her closet, but she figured she would worry about it later.  After dinner maybe.  Maybe with a little bit of food, and a lot of wine, Felicity would be able to get her head on straight and figure this situation out.  She made her way to the stairs leading to the dinning room and prayed she would be able to keep the tears at bay.

*****

“Felicity, you look beautiful tonight, as always,” Mariano greeted her as soon as she walked into the dining room, kissing both of her cheeks.  She saw him glance to the purple marks on her neck and smiled tightly. 

“Mariano, it’s a pleasure, as always,” she replied softly, with a small smile, gesturing to the table, as she walked to her appointed seat at the head, since her husband was away.

“Miss Felicity, tea?” Maria asked as soon as Felicity situated herself at the table.  Felicity smiled genuinely at Maria.  She had been to her rooms throughout the day, trying to get Felicity to drink the herbal tea, to help heal her throat.

“Wine please, Maria. The French white I had Alvara order.” Felicity dared a glance at Mariano to see him smirking.  It was a gesture of defiance, using Maria’s name and requesting French wine.  Both of them knew it. 

“Please, Mariano, help yourself.  I am not feeling too hungry and will be skipping the appetizers, although I am sure they are delicious,” she smiled again in Maria’s direction who had returned with the wine and was uncorking it.

“My Felicity, Don is away, and you defy his order.” Felicity met his eyes and challenged him confidently, with much more confidence than she felt.

“Dearest brother, the home is the wife’s order.” Felicity didn’t let her smile falter as she picked up her glass of wine and sipped, savoring the dry, fruity taste.

“I knew I liked you,” Mariano replied with a wink, “I also prefer French whites and positively hate calamari.”  He laughed deeply and patted Felicity’s hand in a friendly gesture, and for the first time since she arrived at the mansion, she allowed herself to laugh fully.

“I also prefer you in your attire tonight.  Please don’t think me too forward, but those dresses Gideone parades you around in look utterly uncomfortable.”  Felicity didn’t know what to make of his last comment but felt it was good natured, due to his hearty laugh.  Luckily, she was saved from responding by his phone buzzing.

“Ah, excuse me, Felicity.  I must take this.”  He got up from the table with a light squeeze to her shoulder, and Felicity couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be married to Mariano instead of Gideone.

Left alone in the room, she slouched against her chair, sipping on her wine.  She let her eyes close.  She hadn’t slept much in the last twenty-four hours.  Between lack of sleep and her contacts, her eyes were burning.

She felt another gentle squeeze on her shoulder, and opened her eyes slowly.  Expecting Mariano, she abruptly sat up, spilling her wine on the table cloth in front of her, as Oliver towered over her.

“Do you mind if I join you?  Mariano will be a while.”  His voice was low and husky, and she immediately felt warmer.

“Not at all.  Please sit.”  She gestured to the seat next to her and tried to clean up the spilt wine.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you.”  She could feel his eyes on her, but kept busy blotching the wine from the tablecloth.

“That’s fine,” her voice was tight, and she swallowed loudly.

“How did you get those?” Oliver’s voice softened as he gestured to his own neck.  Felicity looked at him, trying to think of a believable excuse.  His eyes were soft, gentle.  She wanted to tell him, but the details of her marriage, her sex life, were none of his business, and she couldn’t find any words to explain the previous evening.  He nodded like he knew.

“Let me help you,” he all but whispered, and Felicity could feel her eyes narrowing at his offer.

“I don’t need your help.”  She thought her voice would be shaky, but she surprised even herself with its strength.  She took another sip of wine, breaking eye contact with him.  She couldn’t deny the pull she felt towards him.  She wanted to stare at him all night long, run away with him, but she was practical and stubborn, and she didn’t want to admit that maybe she did need help.

“You know he’s cheating on you,” Oliver stated, causing heat to rise in her cheeks and neck.  She glared at him over her wine glass.  Again, her voice left her, and she didn’t know how to respond.  She didn’t know her husband was cheating on her; she didn’t have evidence, but as Oliver voiced the words out loud, they didn’t surprise her.  She knew her husband was cheating, deep down, but hell if she was going to admit that to a stranger.

“A Bratva woman, Isabel Rochev,” Oliver continued, “You know what the Bratva is?”  Felicity placed her wine glass down with a little more force at his question.

“Yes, I know what the Bratva is,” her voice carried an incredulous tone.  She could feel the hardness in her eyes as she stared at him, eyebrow raised.  She was smart, a genius, and she would be damned if Oliver, the underboss’s bodyguard, would have an upper hand on her.

“I assume you know all about Ms. Rochev since you are Bratva yourself?” Felicity questioned.  She had researched Oliver after meeting him for the first time, before her phone and laptop were bugged to report everything to Gideone.  Interestingly, she couldn’t find that much information on Oliver, except when she went to the dark web.  There, she could find much more information about his dealings with the Bratva.  She could see the hesitation on his face and surprise that she knew he was Bratva.  Of course, he disclosed that fact to his boss, but no one else.  He didn’t have a death wish.

“I know of her.  She certainly does not know me,” his voice was soft as he tried to convince her, “Please, let me help you.”  His eyes were pleading with her, but she wasn’t just going to bounce from one man to another to the next.

“I don’t need your help,” she said quietly as she pushed back from the table.  Her heart was beating fast as she made her way back to her rooms, a nagging thought in the back of her mind.  What if she really did need his help?

She pushed that thought aside as she made a mental list of everything she would have to do tonight, refusing to admit that at the very least Oliver had motivated her to start finding a way out of this nightmare.


	6. As Bad As It Gets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is a filler chapter, but it is definitely leading up to more action in the next chapter.

Oliver leaned back into the leather chair, swirling the whiskey in his glass.  He was glad his boss was laid back, but he was still worried about how his boss would take his news.

“The woman yesterday, in Don’s office, do you know her?” Oliver asked keeping his voice steady and low.  Mariano took a swig of whiskey and slammed the crystal tumbler on his desk.

“Nope,” he replied nonchalantly as he smoothed down his tie.

“She’s Bratva,” Oliver responded immediately, watching his boss for his reaction. 

“You know her?” Mariano asked seriously as he leaned forward in his chair, pouring more whiskey into his glass.

“Know of her,” Oliver replied, taking his own sip.

“Lucky for you,” Mariano chuckled.  Mariano knew just as well as Oliver that if anyone from Bratva knew he was working for the Mafia, Oliver would most likely be killed.  Oliver was quick to cover up his tracks in the Mafia and was careful enough to keep it a secret this long.

“You saw them, right?” Mariano questioned Oliver, as he sat back again.  Oliver didn’t respond, just looked at him questioningly.  “The bruises around Felicity’s neck.  They were hard to miss,” Mariano clarified, his voice turning serious, no hint of laughter in his face.  “There’s part of the business you don’t know about, Oliver,” Mariano continued matter-of-factly, “I smuggle the drugs, the weapons, but I refuse to get involved with Gideone’s sex trafficking.  I would prefer if we stuck strictly to wine, but I’m picking my battles.”  Oliver felt his stomach drop.  The thought of any woman being sold for her body was disturbing, but Oliver couldn’t help but think of Felicity.  He wouldn’t sell his own wife.  Would he?

As if reading his mind, Mariano continued, “He wouldn’t sell his own wife.  That’s how he got her, but that just goes to show you what kind of man he is.  I’m not surprised he’s sleeping with Bratva.  I could use this to my advantage.”  Mariano tapped his fingers thoughtfully on his desk, as Oliver took another sip of whiskey.  It made sense now.  Well, sort of.  When he first met Felicity, he thought she was a beautiful ray of sunshine, a breath of fresh air, special.  He was surprised to find she married Gideone, but she didn’t want his help.  At first, Oliver had taken that admission as Felicity wanting to stay with Gideone, but now, he wasn’t so sure.  And what did Mariano mean “how he got her”?  Did he buy Felicity?

*****

Felicity sat on her couch in more odd clothes from Alvara, all black, all soft and comfortable.  Alvara even brought her a pair of sneakers, but Felicity didn’t have time to look into that yet.  She had disabled the trojan on her computer that allowed Gideone to virtually see everything she was doing.  She had tracked it back to his laptop, and as a reward, she had ordered more clothes and makeup straight from his bank account, foregoing any credit cards.  She ordered in small amounts, and she doubted he would notice.  Who said she couldn’t have a little fun with her payback?

She also setup a fake query, so Gideone wouldn’t become suspicious.  It was mostly shopping, all Italian, silk boutiques, Sicilian crystal, Tuscan wines.  She used enough websites to buy her time, but she wasn’t sure if he had remote connections for when he was out of his office.  Tomorrow, she would have to determine that from his desktop in his office. 

She was lucky.  Alvara had let it slip that he wouldn’t be back for another couple of days, which worked perfectly for her.  She had enough time to cover her tracks, leak money out of his bank accounts, dissolve their marriage, and setup a location for her to escape.  She felt guilty for stealing money from him, but technically, they were still married, so she was entitled to fifty percent at least, more if she considered all the pain and suffering he put her through.

*****

Oliver could feel the shock travelling through his body, as his feet pounded the treadmill belt, shaking the entire machine.  Fortunately, the apartment complex gym was empty, as it usually was at 4am.  He had just gotten back from a job with Mariano, and he was due back at the mansion for breakfast at 8am.  He knew sleep would evade him.  He couldn’t get her out of his head, more specifically, everything Mariano had said about her. 

She didn’t choose the marriage.  That much was clear from Mariano.  It was loveless; that was clear from the run in with Isabel Rochev and the bruises around Felicity’s neck, but it left so many more questions.  Why did Felicity refuse his help?  Was there an arrangement between Felicity and Gideone?  His stomach twisted at the thought.  No woman should have to live with the brutality that was Gideone.  Granted, he didn’t know Felicity that well, but he felt like he knew her his entire life.  He knew in his bones that Felicity and Gideone did not belong together.  She was sunshine, and Gideone was a hurricane. 

A hurricane who sold women for profit.  The thought made him increase the treadmill speed in an attempt to keep his anger at bay.  He wondered if Isabel Rochev was in on Gideone’s business practices, or if Gideone even knew she was Bratva.  If not, it could end very badly for Gideone.  Either way, it could end very badly for Oliver.

*****

Mariano sat in the breakfast nook, and Felicity couldn’t help but laugh at his big body squeezed in between the window and table.  He looked up from the paper and offered her a smile as she approached.

“Good morning, Mariano, I am sorry I am late,” she said warmly as she slid into the booth beside him.

“That’s quite alright.  I’m just finishing up some coffee,” he waved Maria over, indicating coffee for Felicity, as he folded up the newspaper.  Maria smiled warmly at Felicity as she filled up her mug with the steaming beverage.

“I was thinking we could go shopping today, Felicity, my treat of course,” Mariano offered with a smile, “Family bonding, to get to know one another.”  Felicity could not help the smile that practically split her face open.  She hadn’t been out of the mansion in a couple of days, and she hadn’t been off the grounds in even longer.

“Oh, I would like that.  Thank you, Mariano.”  Felicity smiled at him warmly.  She genuinely felt comfortable around her brother-in-law, but she couldn’t help the growing suspicion in the pit of her stomach.  She just hoped she could hide her new worry.

*****

Felicity’s suspicion continued to grow when she went back to her rooms after breakfast.  Alvara had dropped off more clothes.  She had already hacked into Alvara’s email in order to change her requests to Gideone and Gideone’s reponses, but the clothes weren’t in packages.  No, these came from Alvara.  She had just come up to grab her purse, but the appearance of more clothes had her nerves fraying.  She quickly grabbed her laptop to setup an algorithm to search Alvara’s computer.  She wasn’t planning on snooping; she knew Alvara was just doing her job, but she needed to know where this…hospitality was coming from. 

She quickly started the search and double-checked that she covered all traces of hacking.  She grabbed her purse and her jacket and went to meet Mariano.

*****

The afternoon was bright with a slight chill, Felicity’s favorite weather.  She was glad for the opportunity to be away from the mansion, and she felt confident for the first time in a while.  Her large sunglasses, and leather jacket gave her a feeling of empowerment.  She knew her ass looked good in her lace booties and tight, dark jeans, and it made her feel good to know that men passing in the street were checking her out.  She didn’t remember what it felt like to feel wanted.

It also helped to know that Oliver wasn’t happy with men checking her out.  She wasn’t sure if Mariano noticed, but she could feel Oliver tense and could her him grumbling under his breath from behind her.  She was proud of her self-control; she ignored him, as was expected of her, for most of the morning.  She was grateful when he suggested they stop at a café first and smiled shyly at him, but she had to keep reminding herself that Mariano was Gideone’s brother, and blood was thicker than water.

They entered a French wine room, Oliver holding the door open for them.  She chanced a glance at him and smiled softly.  He didn’t respond, but she swore she could detect a twinkle in his eye.  Or maybe that was just wishful thinking based on too many romantic novels she downloaded from the internet.  She followed Mariano as he spoke softly to an employee and tipped him subtly, leading them to a back room, lit cozily with candles.  It would be romantic, but Mariano didn’t give off that vibe.  He probably just wanted privacy and could afford to pay for it.  She could rationalize that in her head, but she couldn’t hide her surprise when Mariano offered Oliver a seat at the table.

“It’ll be our little secret, Felicity,” Mariano said with a wink, as Oliver sat down at the round table.  She could smell him, sans cologne, and her stomach flipped as his knee brushed with hers.  She smiled tightly afraid to open her mouth in case she started rambling.  Mariano ordered specific wines and cheeses.  Felicity was excited.  She had never been to a tasting room this fancy before.  Or maybe it was the man, radiating warmth next to her.

Felicity felt relaxed after the tasting, bottles of wine piling up around them.  Most Mariano was having sent to his quarters with two being sent to Felicity’s room.  She was grateful for Mariano’s generosity but felt a twinge of guilt at how costly just two bottles were.  A sudden, loud vibration drew Felicity out of her guilt.

“Oh, I am so sorry, Felicity,” Mariano said softly as he looked at the screen of his phone, “I must get this.  You’re probably ready for lunch, so why don’t you go with Oliver, and we’ll meet at Michelangelo’s after.”  He smiled at her as he answered the phone, and she smiled back not able to protest like she should, but it wasn’t like she wanted to.

*****

“Thank you so much,” Felicity gushed after swallowing a large bite of pizza, “This is amazing.  I haven’t had pizza in forever.”  She closed her eyes and moaned as she took another bite, causing inappropriate thoughts to enter Oliver’s mind.

“Well, you said you wanted pizza, and this is the best spot in town,” Oliver laughed, smiling at her gently. 

“Could you imagine Gideone or Mariano here?” Felicity laughed, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at Oliver.

“Gideone? No, but Mariano definitely.  He’s not as bad as his reputation.”  Felicity raised her eyebrow in response.  Mariano definitely wasn’t who he was supposed to be, but she was still wary of trusting him completely.  She moaned again as she took a bite of a garlic knot.

“These are so amazing.  I could eat them all the time,” she was deflecting, and she didn’t think Oliver knew her well enough to catch on.  She wanted to ask him questions about Mariano.  What were his intentions?  And why were they meeting at Michelangelo’s after lunch?  Oliver cleared his throat interrupting her thoughts.

“Are you, uh, are you feeling better?” he asked quietly, gesturing to his neck.  Felicity swallowed thickly as she nodded.  She had made sure she wore enough concealer to hide the bruises before going shopping.

“I’m ok.  It won’t be happening again.”  She gave him a hard look.  She wasn’t sure if she just wanted to tell someone about her plan or if she wanted to specifically tell Oliver, but she bit her lip to keep from spilling her secret plan.  She knew she was having feelings for Oliver, even if they were purely physical, but she knew from the past that attraction did not mean she could trust him.

“If it happens again, it’ll be the last time.  I’ll make sure of it,” Oliver stated coldly, locking eyes with her, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe.  She simply nodded in response, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

*****

Oliver escorted her to Michelangelo’s, letting his hand rest on her lower back whenever they were walking through a throng of people.  He knew he was just a bodyguard, and Felicity was so far out of his league that he didn’t stand a chance, but every time he touched her, well her jacket, he felt calm.  This was where he was supposed to be, with her.  He opened the door to the jewelry shop and entered after her, immediately spotting Mariano talking to the owner.  He touched her lower back again, guiding her to Mariano.

“Ah, Felicity, I thought you might like these,” Mariano gestured to an entire velvet case of sparkling sapphires. 

“They are beautiful,” Felicity responded looking questioningly at Mariano and glancing at Oliver, “But I can’t…”  She trailed off.  She didn’t want to assume that Mariano was buying her jewelry.

“Felicity, I must insist.  A beautiful woman, such as yourself, deserves beautiful jewelry, and sadly my brother doesn’t seem to understand that. Besides, these will bring out your eyes.”  Mariano gestured to a dangly pair of dark blue earrings.  Felicity just nodded, unsure of what to do, but feeling stronger than ever than something wasn’t right.  She briefly felt Oliver’s hand on her back again and understood immediately what he was telling her.  Mariano turned to talk to the owner, and Felicity felt her hair shift.

“Pick something out, Felicity.  Don’t over think it.”  Oliver’s voice was warm and deep in her ear.  Her stomach dropped, and her skin prickled.  She couldn’t explain it, but she trusted it Oliver.  She found herself nodding and moving closer to the display case.


	7. Operation Security Breech

The vibrating of her phone pulled her from her slumber, and she quickly turned it off, rolling onto her back.  3:50.  She had been monitoring the activity in the mansion since she arrived, and 3:50 was the quietest time in the house.  The guard shift changed at 3 am, so most of them were probably snoozing, especially if Gideone wasn’t there.

She sat up on the couch, grapping her glasses and laptop from the coffee table, tangling the cashmere blankets around her waist.  She tightened her ponytail as she turned her laptop on and readjusted her soft, grey t-shirt. 

Tonight was the night. 

Her fingers flew over her keyboard, as she checked the security feed of the mansion, and she looped the cameras, so there would be no evidence of her even being awake.  She was giving herself until 6:50, just in case, but it shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes to search Gideone’s computer for the other devices connected to the security system and to upload a trojan that would interrupt their communication.

She grabbed a flash drive that she hid in her closet and put a pair of socks on.  She snorted at how much she treasured the only pair of socks she had a la Alvara.  She moved quickly, slipping out her bedroom door, closing it quietly behind her.  She looked around before she started moving to the stairs and mentally kicked herself for not putting in her contacts.  Peripheral vision would have been helpful tonight. 

*****

Oliver let the hot water pour over his sore muscles, washing the soap away.  He leaned on the wall of the shower and closed his eyes.  He was tired, but he couldn’t sleep.  Every time he was around Gideone, his gut told him to be alert.  Every time he was around Felicity, his gut told him to protect her.  He was worried.  He wasn’t sleeping.  He was pounding his body at the gym every morning, hard.  The lack of rest and sore muscles wouldn’t help him if he needed to help her or hurt him, but he couldn’t turn his brain off.

 

He shut off the water before it turned cold and grabbed his towel, rubbing his face vigorously.  He was due back at work soon; Mariano wanted to discuss the plans for a meeting at the docks later that night.  He wanted to discuss Felicity.  He had to do something to get her out of Gideone’s control, and who better to ask than Gideone’s own brother?

*****

Felicity quietly shut Gideone’s office door behind her.  Her heart was beating fast, and her palms were sweaty.  She was gripping the flash drive so hard, she was sure she broke skin.  She quickly moved to Gideone’s desk and sat down, plugging in the flash drive and opening a command window.  She quickly set up her first algorithm and sighed.  After a few seconds, she was in.  She snorted to herself.  The only way she could hack in that quickly was if Gideone’s password was weak.  How fitting.  She was almost halfway through her mission.  She just needed the algorithm to upload trojans into the security and then get back upstairs to the safety of her room. 

She pushed her glasses up and huffed a laugh.  Of course Gideone saved all of his files to his desktop.  She shook her head at the mess of icons on his desktop, feeling her OCD prickle her brain.  She quickly searched through his computer to look for anything incriminating.  She could have done this remotely, since his computer was on the network, but honestly, her plan wasn’t to search through his personal files or find incriminating evidence.  She would save that for when she was out of reach, somewhere the Mafia could never find her.  Her plan was to escape.

She could hack later, but since she was here and the trojan was uploading, it was easier to just grab them. She copied all the files to her flash drive and glanced at the upload progress: 5% complete.

She sorted the files by date and opened the oldest.  Nothing exciting there.  An excel sheet of stocks and prices for the last few years.  She moved on to the next set of files, about 50 pictures.  She bit her lip as she opened them.  Her skin was prickling.  She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t.  They were all of the same woman, long blond hair, bright blue eye, scantily clad in lingerie, posed in compromising positions.  The pictures themselves weren’t that bad, but they were on her husband’s computer, and they looked eerily like herself.  25% complete.

The next couple of documents were pdfs of contracts.  She skimmed through them briefly, not finding anything too alarming.  Some were employee contracts; some were purchase orders.  She hesitated to open the next set of pictures, but she took a deep breath and went for it.  Another woman.  Girl really.  Felicity frowned at how young she looked, dressed in a body con dress, too low cut and too short.  Her stilettos were at least six inches.  In the first couple of pictures, only one side of her face was shown.  Then, she was facing forward with her blonde hair covering part of her face.  Felicity felt her stomach lurch as she opened the next picture.  Purple bruises were on her shoulder where her hair previously hid the marks.  Her lip was split and swollen, and her eyes were closed.  Felicity clicked to the next picture only to have piercing blue eyes stare up at her.  She felt her heart stutter.  Gideone obviously had a thing for blondes with blue eyes. 50% complete.

Felicity hesitated over the next file.  It was a video, and she was pretty sure she knew what it was before she opened it.  She bit the inside of her cheek as breathy moaning floated out of the speakers, and she winced as she saw a leggy, brunette straddling Gideone, her tight leather skirt bunched around her waist.  She moved up and down in time with a grunting Gideone.  Felicity closed the video quickly, squeezing her eyes shut, hoping to erase the images she had just seen from her mind.

This was ridiculous.  She felt a pang in her chest of…jealousy?  Sex between her and Gideone was nothing like it was in the video, but it was absurd to feel jealous.  Gideone was not a good husband, or even a good person.  There was no room for her irrational feelings.  75% complete.

Felicity clicked open the next pdf file.  It was another contract.  She scrolled through it, skimming the words.  The contract was unlike anything she had seen.  The jargon was typical, but for a Don in the Mafia to give a portion of his money to commission didn’t seem right.  100% complete.

She scrolled back to the beginning of the document to read it fully.  Why was Gideone paying someone else commission, someone in New York for that matter?

Felicity froze, eyes still on the monitor as the office door opened.  Her heart sped up as she quickly closed the files, and she removed the flash drive discreetly.  She heard the door close again and held her breath.

*****

Oliver didn’t know what he was doing.  Logically, he knew.  His boss gave him a task, and he was doing it, but the practicality of the task was nonexistent. 

What was he doing with his life?  He was Bratva.  Then, he left Bratva, still alive, which was extremely rare.  Then, he started working for the Mafia and kept it hidden from Bratva.  He was surprised he wasn’t dead yet or at the very least had someone tailing him.  Bratva would kill him if they knew he was working for the Mafia, and the Mafia would kill him if they knew he was Bratva.  Well, everyone except Mariano it appeared.

Now, Oliver was getting between the Don and the Underboss.  If he got caught working against the Don, he would surely be killed on the spot, and if he didn’t produce what Mariano wanted, he would be killed.  Except he had a feeling that Mariano didn’t kill.  He would be beaten and discarded, and then he would have to run.  Escaping the Bratva was one thing.  Escaping the Bratva and the Mafia was another thing.

Oliver zipped his leather jacket and shook his head.  He had survived this long.  He had to believe he could keep surviving.

*****

Felicity squeezed her eyes shut and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood.  She got so caught up in snooping that she wasn’t on alert.  She was in the zone and didn’t hear anyone coming. 

“Felicity, what are you doing here?”  His voice was harsh, angry.  “You shouldn’t be in here.”  He was across the office in three large strides, right next to her in seconds, pulling her up from the chair by her elbow.  His fingers were rough but warm on her bare skin, and her heart rate sped up even more.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she responded just as harshly, standing to her full height, refusing to back down, even though the top of her head didn’t even make it to his shoulder.  “Technically, since I’m his _wife_ , I have more of a reason to be here than you.”  He didn’t back down at her response, his chest inches away from her face, her neck craning upwards to look into his steely eyes. 

“Do you know what would happen if you got caught, Felicity?” His grip on her elbow was getting stronger but not strong enough to leave a bruise.

“Not as bad as what would happen to _you_ if you got caught,” she responded hotly.

“Fe-li-ci-ty, please,” he said softly, begging, closing his eyes as he said her name. 

“Oliver,” she said softly, “I know what I’m doing.  I’m not going to get caught.”  She quickly checked the time on Gideone’s computer, just before 4:30am.  “But you are,” she continued, “Do you know there’s security cameras in the hall?”  Oliver huffed a laugh, keeping his hand on her elbow.

“Yes, but there’s none in here,” he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“And if you got caught?  You’d be dead.” Felicity squinted at him through her glasses.

“I’m not that easy to catch,” Oliver replied with a smirk, causing her stomach to flip-flop and her lips to upturn. 

“For your sake, I hope you’re right,” Felicity chided back with a raised eyebrow.  He raised his eyebrow in return, and Felicity thought she would melt on the spot.  His eyes burned into hers, and she could feel the heat radiating off his body.  She swallowed as she broke eye contact and let her eyes travel down his body.  It should be illegal to look that good.  And smell that good.  From the leather jacket to the tight t-shirt to the relaxed jeans, she enjoyed what she saw and took a deep breath to steady herself. 

“Oliver,” she whispered as she looked into his eyes again, “Be careful.” She sidestepped, pushing past his arm, feeling it trail lightly across her stomach.  She shouldn’t have been surprised at her body’s reaction.  Her skin prickled, and heat pooled between her legs.  She took a deep breath and closed the door behind her.

*****

Felicity rushed back to her room and collapsed onto her couch, immediately wrapping the blankets around her.  The heat she felt moments earlier had left, and she felt chilled.  Chilled and confused.  Who was Gideone paying a commission, and what was he paying for?  She pushed her glasses back up her nose and plugged the flash drive into her laptop.  She hated mysteries.  She would figure this out.

*****

Oliver couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Felicity leave.  She was wearing a v-neck t-shirt and yoga pants, but she looked like the most elegant woman he had ever seen.  She was a firecracker for sure.  Her life was probably in danger anytime Gideone was near her.  Gideone could snap her neck and dispose of her body without anyone knowing, and she was concerned for him.  He shook his head as he stuck the microphone under Gideone’s desk and pressed it there to ensure it stayed.  He quickly exited Gideone’s office, closing the door behind him. 

As he approached the stairs, he paused.  He felt a pull towards her.  He knew where her room was.  He could go up there and carry her out of this hell-hole right now.


	8. Commission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments! I never imagined so many people would enjoy this story! 
> 
> For this chapter, please note that I know nothing about Trojans or computer science or anything, so I apologize if it doesn't make sense.

Felicity was typing furiously on her laptop.  She idiotically went through the rest of Gideone’s pictures and videos.  She knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help herself.  Now, she couldn’t erase the images that were burnt into her brain.  Gideone definitely had a type.  Well, two types.  He abused the blonde, blue-eyed girls.  Felicity couldn’t tell for sure if they were underage or not, but they certainly looked young, and she wouldn’t exactly put it past Gideone.  The pictures always included bruises, and the videos always included Gideone taking them from behind.  His other type was long-legged brunettes.  These women looked older, and their activities appeared to be more consensual.  There were no pictures of the brunettes, just videos. 

The lump in her throat grew as she opened the most recent videos.  A sob escaped her throat as the image of herself appeared on the screen with Gideone behind her.  Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she looked like she was in pain.  She was in pain that night, but she had tried to block it out of her memory. 

She should have known.  She should have known the moment she saw the first picture of the first girl.  She couldn’t turn it off.  She couldn’t look away.  Her chest hurt.  Tears were streaming down her face, and she couldn’t do anything but sit there and watch Gideone rape her.

*****

Oliver knew if he got caught then he would be a dead man.  But that was the theme of his career, so he took the steps two at a time, checking his gun in his waistband as he went.  His head was on a swivel the entire time.  There was one guard that was snoozing at the top of the steps, and there was another guard with ear buds in, completely absorbed in his phone at the end of the hall.  Oliver stayed alert watching them as he made his way to Felicity’s door. 

He knocked softly watching the guard that was awake.  There was no answer.  He knocked a little bit louder, checking the first guard to make sure he was still sleeping.  There was still no answer, but he thought he heard a cough.  He tried the handle. It was locked.  He slipped his wallet out and grabbed a credit card, checking both guards.  He knew he was pushing his luck, running out of time.  He swiped the card down the door jam as he twisted the knob and slipped into her room.  He closed the door quickly behind him and locked it.  He spotted Felicity with her back to him sitting on the couch.   Her shoulders were shaking, and she was sniffling.

*****

Felicity felt the couch shift next to her.  She felt warmth on her arm and could vaguely hear her name, but she couldn’t keep her eyebrows from burrowing or the tears from escaping or the strangling noises coming from her throat.

“Felicity, hey Felicity,” Oliver called softly, “Let’s turn this off.” He tried to take her laptop from her, but her grip on it was too strong.  He couldn’t help but notice the video playing, the pained look on Felicity’s face, the degrading way Gideone positioned her.  He managed to shut the laptop and pulled Felicity into his chest.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s ok,” he whispered into her hair, wrapping his arms around her, letting her laptop slide onto the couch.  He rubbed her back soothingly, as she sniffled, her body racking with sobs. 

“What are you doing here, Oliver?” Felicity asked suddenly, pushing against his chest.  Oliver immediately felt cold from where they touched.

“I’m taking you home with me, getting you out of here,” Oliver replied, taking her hand.

“Oliver, are you crazy?” she questioned as she stood, “You do know security outside is much tighter than inside, right?”

“I know a tunnel that connects to Mariano’s quarters.  Gideone’s guards won’t check the security going out of Mariano’s wing,” Oliver explained, standing up and stepping closer to her.  There was just something about her that drew him in.  Felicity chuckled in response.

“That’s cute, Oliver. They’ll check those cameras when they realize I’m missing,” Felicity crossed her arms in front of her, squinting at Oliver, challenging him.

“Gideone isn’t here, Felicity.  They won’t notice you’re missing for awhile.  We have enough time.”  Oliver took another step closer, towering over her.  Her shortness took him by surprise.  She had so much personality and strength, all contained in that little package. 

Felicity stepped closer to him, not backing down, “Maria comes at seven every morning with Alvara.  They would notify Gideone immediately.  Besides, there’s cameras in the tunnel.  You need to leave.  The security cameras will stop looping soon.  Get out while you can.”

“How do you know there’s cameras in the tunnel?  Mariano had it swept,” Oliver questioned.

“Micro cameras.  I picked them up from Gideone’s computer,” Felicity explained, gesturing to her laptop.  “Please, Oliver.  I have a plan, but you need to leave now.  If Gideone finds out you’re in my room, you are dead.  If he finds out you’re Bratva, you die.  If he finds out…”

“How do you know I’m Bratva?,” Oliver asked abruptly, cutting off her rambling.

“Dark web,” Felicity replied as she sat back down on the couch, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes.  “Please, Oliver.  I’m begging you.  I have a plan.”  She stood back up to face him. “Please, trust me,” she whispered as she squeezed his forearm.  He nodded slowly, clenching his jaw.

“Let me give you my number.  Promise to call if you need anything,” he demanded sternly.  She huffed a small laugh.

“I already have it,” she replied with a wink.

*****

Felicity sunk into the scalding bath water.  She could hear Maria and Alvara in her bedroom, and her mouth started to water just at the thought of coffee, but after finding the videos of herself on Gideone’s computer, she felt the need to scrub her skin raw.  She closed her eyes, going over her plan.  She uploaded the trojan that interrupted security access from Gideone’s other devices, but she would need to use that to loop the security feeds if he viewed them from his phone.  She also got access to the computer at the security booth, so she would need to interrupt their access as well.

She would also program an algorithm to run to monitor all security detail, any blind spots, and all the exits.  That was key to making her escape.  Gideone would be back in a couple of days, so her best chance was before then.  She opened the drain valve of the tub with her foot.  It was time to get to work.

By the time she was done dressing, Maria and Alvara had left.  She knew Alvara was right outside her door, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone.  She was still hurt by the videos she found on Gideone’s computer.  She felt betrayed and angry.  She definitely hadn’t given her consent, and she found herself wondering if the other women had.  She rolled up the sleeves of her sweater and started removing the videos of herself from Gideone’s devices.  For now, that would have to do, but in time, she would remove all the videos and pictures she found.  She just didn’t want him to notice anything suspicious before she escaped. 

She ran the algorithms, updated trojans, and set the alerts to be sent to the burner phone she had secretly purchased.  She booked a small cottage in Oregon.  She wanted to visit her mother at least for a night, but she knew that would be dangerous.  Maybe, she would need Oliver’s help.  At the very least, he could make sure nothing happened to her mother once Gideone found out she was gone.  The thought of putting her mother in danger the same way her father had made her shiver.  Maybe, Oliver would be able to help her mother escape as well.  She knew it was asking a lot, but it was her mother.  They might not always see eye-to-eye on things, but she loved her.

With her reservation complete, there was nothing left for Felicity to do but wait.  She planned her escape for that night.  3:00am.  When the mansion would be mostly quiet on the outside.  She wasn’t going to take much, anything really, just the burner phone and her flash drive.  The packages she had ordered were all siting on the table; the phone was the only one she opened.  She left the other packages knowing her online shopping spree the other day was petty and pointless, but it had made her feel better in the moment.

With nothing left to do but wait, she started going through more files that she found on Gideone’s computer.  She sipped the coffee that Maria had left and combed through every file.  She finished right before lunch with no new information.  She put her laptop back on the table and rubbed her eyes under her glasses.  She laid back into the plush blankets and closed her eyes, just for a minute.

*****

Oliver sat in his living room, glad for a rare morning off.  He had briefed Mariano on the successful plant of the bug in Gideone’s office and had informed him of Felicity’s plan to escape.  He didn’t know when she was planning on leaving, but they both knew that when she did, things would be bad.  Gideone had quite a temper, and they were sure it would start flaring when he realized she left. 

Oliver admired her strength and her brain.  She was right.  He didn’t know all the nuisances of the security protocol in Mariano’s buildings, let alone Gideone’s.  However, he was confident that he could handle whatever security challenges were to arise.  He could take all of Gideone’s army on his own.  Bratva training relied on using your body as the weapon; Mafia training relied on guns and weapons.

He couldn’t help but think together they would make the perfect team.  Her intelligence coupled with his brute force could take down Gideone.  She was also physically strong, and although he had never seen her fight, he knew in his bones that she could defend herself.

He only needed a way of contacting her, indiscreetly, so that they could plan together.  That was the reason he wanted contact, to work together to take down Gideone and get her to safety.  It had absolutely nothing to do with his attraction to her or his needing to know she was ok.  That’s what he was telling himself anyway.

*****

Felicity’s nap was not as restful as she hoped.  She had more coffee with the sandwiches Maria brought for lunch and was currently going through all of Gideone’s emails to find something,  All the videos and photos could have been taken with consent.  Her videos weren’t, but it would be her word against his.  She opened a chain of emails sent between Gideone and other Mafia members, some of whom she had met.  She took a sip of coffee and continued reading.

“It is the prerogative of the Commission…” she read out loud.  That one sentence made her realize why the contracts she had found earlier were so strange.

“Commission,” she stated louder, her eyes going wide in realization.  Her escape plan, which she still intended to follow, just got a whole lot more complicated.

*****

He must have dozed off.  He awoke to a kink in his neck and the vibrating of his phone.  He answered quickly, not knowing who was on the other end.

“Yeah?” he answered roughly, sleep still fogging his thoughts.

“Oliver,” a whispered voice came from the other end, “Gideone is a member of the Commission.  I’m sure Mariano knows.  You need to be careful.”

“Felicity, are you sure?” Oliver asked, the sleep quickly draining from his body.

“Yes, I hacked into his email,” she responded, “I have to leave the country, Oliver.  It doesn’t matter how good I am.  They will find me.  Can you please help my mom, Donna Smoak?  You’ll find her at Ceaser’s on the Strip.  Please? Promise me?”  She kept her voice calm but urgent, and Oliver knew this was important to her.

“Felicity, what about you?” he questioned quietly, knowing what she was going to say, but not wanting to hear it anyway.

“I’ll be fine.   I’m going to Canada.  With Gideone part of the Commission, he controls the entire US mafia.  Just please, promise me you’ll help my mom.”

He sighed deeply, knowing she wouldn’t take no for an answer, “I promise, Felicity, but please promise to be careful and ask for help when you need it.”  He wasn’t too proud to resort to begging.  She hung up without answering.

He immediately grabbed his jacket and helmet, making his way out of his apartment to his bike.  He would keep his promise; he would help Donna Smoak.  He just needed to figure out a way to help Felicity, too.  



	9. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some abuse in this chapter.

“Miss Smoak, do you have a minute to talk?” Oliver asked calmly, his senses on alert, watching the men around the woman in front of him leer over her.

“Sure, honey, what can I do for you?”  Donna Smoak’s smile was bright, as bright as her platinum hair.  She laid her hand on his arm and guided him a few feet from the men she was serving, moving gracefully in the bodycon dress and stiletto heels.

“Did Alvara send you?” she questioned, dropping her voice so it was hard for even Oliver to hear, worry lacing her face.  Oliver kept his face neutral, staring at Felicity’s mom who looked more like an older sister.

“Miss Smoak, how much do you know about Alvara?” Oliver questioned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  He wasn’t trying to intimidate her, but he needed answers from her. 

She squinted at him in return, “Alvara is a friend.  I haven’t heard from her lately, and I’m worried.  That’s all.”  Oliver nodded at her answer, but his instincts had him buzzing.  She was lying.

“Miss Smoak, I need you to come with me.”  He put his hand on her arm this time and leaned in close to her ear, “Felicity sent me.”  At that admission, Donna nodded.  She would follow him wherever he would take her.

*****

Felicity was ready.  She was dressed in her black leggings and tank top.  Her contacts were in; glasses and flash drive in the pocket of her leather jacket that was laying on the floor next to her boots.  Her fake ID and the pistol that she got off the dark web were in her jacket as well.  The only thing she could do was wait.

Her phone vibrated just as the door opened.

“Sorry to bother, Miss Felicity, but this just came for you,” Maria said softly as she made her way to Felicity with a small, black velvet box.  She handed it to her with a smile.

“Thank you, Maria,” Felicity said softly, “for everything.”  Maria nodded and made her way for the door again.  Felicity wondered if Maria was happy working for Gideone or if she wanted to work somewhere else.  She could look into it once she arrived in Oregon.  She opened the box to reveal the platinum and sapphire watch she had picked out at the jewelry store with Mariano.  She slipped it out of the box and felt it’s weight in her hand.  She turned it over, inspecting all sides.  It looked like it had in the store.  She hadn’t been able to take it with her that day because Mariano had insisted the jeweler take a few of the links off for it to fit her slim wrist.  Oliver was there the entire time.  She had felt uneasy about the entire process, but every time she looked at him, he gave a reassuring nod.

She picked up her phone, knowing he was the only person who could contact her, to a short text.

“I have her. Safe.”

She smiled to herself.  A lot of things could go wrong, but she was smart, and she prepared for them.

“Meet me at the staff entrance at 3am,” she quickly sent back.  She had decided to accept Oliver’s help.  It would save her the time of stealing a car.

*****

“Is she ok?” Donna whispered.  He could barely hear her over the rumble of the engine.  He glanced towards her sitting in the passenger seat.  He couldn’t begin to imagine how she must be feeling.

“She’s ok,” he answered, turning his eyes back to the road, “She’s worried about your safety.  She wants me to take you out of town.”  He could feel Donna’s eyes on him.

“My safety?  What about her safety?”  Oliver could hear the worry increase in her voice every time he talked to her. 

“She has a plan,” Oliver stated quietly as the GPS informed him to turn left.  He kept his voice neutral, like he was trained to do, but he didn’t want to keep the bite out of his voice.  He hated sitting on the sidelines, not being able to help.

“She’s strong, my Felicity,” Donna commented turning her eyes back to the road, relaxing slightly, as much as she could knowing the situation her daughter was in.

“How do you know Alvara?” Oliver asked, dropping his voice unintentionally.

“I hired her,” Donna stated, “to look after Felicity.  Keep me informed.”

“You’re paying her?” Oliver asked as he made another turn.

“Yes,” Donna stated simply.

“Gideone is probably paying her more.  How do you know you can trust her?” Oliver asked after a moment of silence, trying to keep the worry from building in his voice.

“Mother’s instinct.”

Oliver pulled into a parking space in front of an apartment complex.  From the looks of it, he didn’t think Donna could afford much, especially not hiring Alvara.  He exited the car and opened the door for Donna, helping her out.

“Your boyfriend’s a cop?” Oliver asked, clarifying their earlier conversation, “And you can trust him?”

Donna giggled, “Yes, honey, Quentin is amazing.  He’s the one who helped me with Felicity’s father.” They had reached her apartment door.  Oliver tucked that statement aside to ask Felicity later.

“Here,” Oliver said as he handed Donna a thick envelope, “These are tickets for both you and Quentin.  I’ll talk to Felicity about erasing the trail tonight.  There’s a burner phone in there, too.  Don’t use it.  I’ll have Felicity contact you on it.”  He tried to keep his voice stern, so Donna knew how dangerous the situation was.

“Aruba, every girl’s dream,” Donna joked.  Oliver’s lips twitched slightly.  He had just met her, but he was already starting to like Donna.

“Keep my baby girl safe,” her voice turning serious as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and hugged him.  She was tiny, much tiny than him, but he felt engulfed in her motherly hug.

*****

Felicity took a deep breath.  She had a lot of nervous energy.  She had a gun and knew some self-defense, but she knew she was tiny.  It wouldn’t take to much effort on any guard’s part to simply overpower her, but she was smart.  She was a genius.  She would have to rely on her brain to get her out of any unexpected situations.  She had gotten this far.  This time tomorrow, she would be free.

She slipped into her jacket and shoes and quietly opened her bedroom door.  As expected, there was only one guard, and he was asleep.  She continued quietly down the hallway and the steps.  There were two more long hallways to navigate before she got to the kitchen were the staff entrance was.  Luckily, the entrance to the kitchen was only about ten feet from the outer fencing, which had an entrance there for deliveries.  No one should be in the kitchen.  Maria didn’t start baking until 4am, and no one else frequented Maria’s space, at least from what Felicity could see on the security footage she hacked.  She slipped into the kitchen and let out a small breath.  One room and two doors away from freedom.

She was so relieved that she had let her guard down and hadn’t listened for any noises coming from the other side of the door.  She stared in horror and disgust at the sight before her, her jaw dropping on its own accord. She should have heard the moaning from the hallway. She raised her eyes slowly and met Gideone’s.

This was not good.  This was not how this was supposed to go.  Gideone was supposed to be out of town.  Felicity could hear her heart pumping, feeling it thump hard in her chest as the lump in her throat grew with every beat.

Gideone untangled himself from the leggy brunette that was wrapped around him in minimal clothing and all but shoved her off the counter she was perched on.

“Wait for me in my office,” he demanded of the woman, as he pulled up his pants and buckled them.  Felicity could see the sheen on both of their bodies and smell sex in the room.

She had managed to close her jaw before the brunette sauntered by her to the door, giving her a patronizing smile.  Felicity swallowed hard as Gideone stepped toward her, his large body towering over her.

“And what are you doing up?” Gideone demanded from her.  Felicity had prepared for this, not exactly running into Gideone, but she had prepared if someone had found her.

She kept her breathing as even as she could and answered in her calmest voice, “I was hungry.  Just thought I’d get a snack.”  She tried to make her intonation sound casual and light, and she hoped that Gideone was stupid enough to fall for it.  She had to admit it was a lame excuse, considering she was wearing a jacket and sneakers, but it was the best she could come up with. 

She realized in the moment that it didn’t matter if Gideone was stupid enough to see through her excuse.  He was angry.  His eyes were on fire, burning into hers, and his muscles were shaking.  He was breathing harder than she was, and she had a feeling it wasn’t due to his activity just moments prior.  If Felicity wasn’t so scared, she would laugh.  He was more upset that she interrupted his rendezvous than he was ashamed that he was just caught cheating by his own wife. 

Felicity braced herself.  She didn’t know what he was going to do next, but she knew it wouldn’t be good.  She didn’t see his hand raise.  She didn’t see him step towards her.  She saw the anger flare in his eyes and felt the sting of his hand on her face.  It was so forceful she stumbled sideways, the edge of the countertop digging into her ribs.  After the initial shock, she was able to balance herself, just in time to feel him grab her ponytail and smash her head into the upper cabinets.  Hard.  Her vision darkened, and she lost all proprioception.  She felt the burn around her ponytail and knew the only thing keeping her upright was Gideone’s grasp.

She willed herself to stay awake.  Awake was the only way she would have a chance at escaping.  Once she crumbled to the floor in a ball, it was harder.  With every punch to her face or kick to her legs and ribs, she wanted to give in and just close her eyes, but she didn’t.  She couldn’t hear what he was saying.  The buzzing in her ears was too loud.  She couldn’t think coherently, but she thought she heard him cursing at her, calling her bitch and cunt.  She tasted the blood in her mouth, felt the liquid accumulate in her mouth and run down her chin, and willed his assault to be over soon.

*****

It was the designated time.  Oliver sat in his truck a block away from the Acerbi mansion staff entrance.  He had been there a few hours early, just in case.  He was nervous.  He trusted Felicity, even though he barely knew her, but he wasn’t used to just sitting on the sidelines and letting someone else do all the work.  But, Felicity had made it perfectly clear through her tone and body language that if he wanted to be involved at all, he had to leave everything up to her.  He admired that.  She didn’t want him to save her.  She didn’t need him to.

He watched the windows through his binoculars, looking for shadows.  The blinds and curtains inhibited his view, but he continued looking anyway.  He needed something to do besides feeling helpless.  He watched a limo arrive from within the compound towards the back of the house and watched as Gideone and Isabel emerged.  If he didn’t know the situation, they appeared to be in love: Gideone wrapping his arm around her holding her close to his side, Isabel looking back at him lovingly and giggling at something he said.  Both of their hands were wandering over each other’s body.  They entered the side kitchen entrance, and Oliver could feel his heart pound a little harder.

He had been in the kitchen before.  He had committed it to memory, along with every other room he had been inside.  It had three entrances, one from the gardens which is where Gideone and Isabel entered, one from within the house, and the staff entrance.  It also had two butler stations and four large pantries, great hiding spots if the need should arise.

He watched the outside, scanning the windows for shadows, looking for any sign of Felicity.  No shadows were visible.  The two visible doors from the outside remained firmly closed.  No one else went into the kitchen.  No one came out of it. 


	10. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I read them all but haven't responded as I wanted to get this next chapter to you as soon as possible. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Felicity stared at the ceiling, completely sprawled out on her back.  She could feel blood running down her neck, and with every beat of her heart, her thigh throbbed.  She could feel her gun dig into her back, and if she wasn’t in pain, she would laugh.  What help having a gun was.  She didn’t know how long she stayed there.  Her vision was blurry.  It hurt to even think about moving.

She tried to take a deep breath but winced at the pain.  She slowly moved her arm, finding the flip phone in her pocket.  She opened it without removing it, feeling pain shoot through her shoulder, and felt around until she found the send button.  Hitting the pre-typed message, she closed her eyes in relief.  It would only be a matter of time.

*****

She wasn’t responding.  His worst nightmare had come true.  He had gotten her message, a simple HELP, and had immediately parked his truck close to the entrance and walked in.  He was sure that Felicity had already hacked into the security system to ensure the doors were open for him.  He swallowed thickly as he kneeled beside her, blood everywhere.  He reached out tentatively feeling her neck for a pulse and released a breath he didn’t know he was holding when he found it.  Realizing she was alive, he felt a surge of anger curse through him and was ready to destroy whoever had done this to her.

But he needed to get her to a hospital first.

He tried to pick her up as gently as he could.  She moaned in response.

“Felicity, it’s ok.  I’m going to get you to a hospital,” he whispered softly, cradling her against his chest as he stood.  She was so tiny compared to him.  He knew she was petite, but she was also so strong that he didn’t realize how petite she truly was.  Her eyes flew open, panic overcoming her features.

“No,” she gasped as he moved swiftly towards the door, “no, please don’t…infiltrated…doctor…goons…surface.”  He looked down at her and couldn’t help the small tick in the corner of his mouth.  She was hyperventilating, not speaking coherently, but he understood everything.

“I got you.  It’s ok, no hospital.”  It amazed him how easily he had gotten into the kitchen, and he was equally amazed at how easy it was to just walk out of the mansion with her.  She had taken care of everything, picked a time this area would be deserted, hacked into security to remove any locks, and he was sure she had interrupted the cameras.  The woman in his arms was simply amazing. 

It also amazed him how strongly he felt connected to her, how he could understand what she needed without her saying anything, how with a gentle squeeze bringing her closer to him she calmed, how gravitated he was towards her, and how he knew just by holding her in his arms that it would be okay.

He gently placed her in his truck, her head lolling to the side, her breathing ragged.  She was finally out of Gideone’s control, and for the first time since he had seen her at the mansion, Oliver felt his sense of worry relieve. 

*****

She opened her eyes slowly.  The jostling had woken her up. She felt cold from where his arms were, and her head was pounding.

“Where am I?” she asked quietly, squeezing her eyes shut as the bright light increased the pain in her head.  She relaxed her face but kept her eyes closed.

“You’re safe.  We’re at an underground federal agency.  They’re going to take a CT scan, make sure there’s no internal bleeding,” Oliver whispered in her ear, as he squeezed her hand gently.

“ARGUS,” Felicity whispered back, “John Diggle and I don’t have internal bleeding.” 

“Know-it-all,” he whispered playfully, “I’m sure you’ve hacked ARGUS, but you can’t possible know you don’t have internal bleeding.”  Her lips, cracked and covered in blood, twitched upwards.  She opened her eyes and turned towards him.  She didn’t realize how close he was, his face inches from hers. His piercing blue eyes, worry lines littering his face, his strong jaw, and soft lips were all so close.  She could stay their all day just staring at his face. She smiled genuinely and squeezed his hand in return.

“I’m not coughing or vomiting blood.  It’s from my cheek and lip.  Stop worrying,” her tone was light, trying to ease the tension in the room.

“They’re doing the CT scan anyway, non-negotiable.”  She looked at his face again, hardened with stubbornness, and she just smiled more.  There was something about him.  He knew her, like really knew her, and they had a connection.  She couldn’t explain it, but she could feel it.

“Oliver, please don’t leave me,” she whispered as she closed her eyes again.  She didn’t want to be alone.  She didn’t want to be without him.

*****

Oliver sat next to her bed, gently stroking her hand, staring at her face.  He would have felt like a stalker, except she asked him not to leave her.  He watched her as she slowly opened her eyes, panic rising in them.

“Hey, you’re ok.  They just gave you something to help you sleep.”  He kept is voice soft, squeezing her hand in a comforting gesture.  Before he could stop himself, he bent his head and kissed her forehead, brushing the blonde locks back.

“You were right, no internal bleeding,” he added.  She smiled, and Oliver could have sworn his heart stopped. 

“You should get to work, and I need to get to Oregon,” Felicity said as she tried to sit up.  Oliver put her hand gently on her shoulder and pushed her back into the bed.

“No, I’m not leaving you, and you need to rest more.  You are safe here,” he replied sternly, keeping his arm on her shoulder.

“Compromise?” Felicity asked as she sunk her head back into the pillows and closed her eyes.  She was tired.  She felt like the weight of the world had been sitting on her shoulders for weeks, and she was finally able to shrug it off.  “Go to work.  It will look suspicious if you don’t, and I will stay here until you get back.” 

Oliver couldn’t help but smile, “Deal.”

*****

Felicity couldn’t keep her eyes open, but she couldn’t completely calm down either.  She wanted to be alone; she thought it might help her anxiety, but as soon as she heard the door click behind Oliver, she knew she was wrong.  She felt safer with him, and now that he was gone, she felt on edge.  Her skin prickled; her ears were listening for even the smallest noises, and her brain was on alert, not letting her relax.  Her chest was tight.  Her breathing was shallow and quick, along with her pulse.  She squeezed her eyes tighter trying to calm herself.  She heard the door open again, but she couldn’t open her eyes.  Her chest burned with every breath.  She couldn’t see who came in, and her hearing went from hyperactive to constant buzzing.

Warmth started to spread throughout her body, starting in her arm and working its way to her chest and belly.  She felt the throbbing in her thigh still, throbbing with warmth, and a pressure on her shoulder holding her down.  The warmth started spreading to her head until everything went black.

*****

Felicity was right.  She always was.  Oliver hid the smirk he got thinking about her as he sat across from Mariano.  He had kept his ears peeled all day.  Mariano had told him that Alvara had found Felicity early this morning in the kitchen.  There was an accident, and the Acerbi family doctor was taking care of her.  Oliver simply nodded, not wanting to give anything away, but there was a glint in Mariano’s eye that told Oliver he knew.  He knew that Oliver knew something about Felicity.

He checked his watch as he listened to Mariano’s side of the conversation with a lower captain on the phone.  Another meeting at the docks was scheduled for tonight.  He only wanted to get back to Felicity, especially after her panic attach right after he left.  Lyla had given her a sedative, but he didn’t know how long it would last, and he wanted to be there when she woke up. 

“Do you know where she is?” Mariano asked softly.  Oliver squinted but otherwise did not respond, just stared at his boss.

“I understand.  You need to get her out of here, but I need you to come back.  I can handle the day-to-day operations, but I’m going to need your help with the big picture,” Mariano continued.  Oliver simply cocked his head to the side, still not responding.

“Take a week.  Make sure she’s safe.  I always liked her,” Mariano finished as he stood up, lighting a cigar and turning to look out the window.  Oliver didn’t have to be told twice.  He didn’t know what exactly Mariano would need his help with, but by leaving his office right now, he was agreeing to it. 

*****

Felicity’s brain felt foggy, but she managed a smile when she opened her eyes to see Oliver standing above her wiping her forehead with a warm washcloth.

“Hey,” he whispered.

“Hi,” her smile widened despite seeing blood on the washcloth as he rinsed it in a small, bedside bucket.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, searching her eyes.  She didn’t know how, but just by looking into his eyes, she knew that he knew she was ok.

“Mmmm, tired,” she replied honestly.

“Lyla gave you a pretty strong sedative,” he nodded, “I…uh…I brought you some clothes…they’re probably too big, but I thought you’d be more comfortable.”  He gestured to the tee shirt and sweat pants neatly folded on the bed next to her. 

“Thank you,” she whispered sheepishly, picking a thread from the blanket, “I don’t think I can change…by myself I mean.”  At her confession, Oliver gently touched his fingertips to her chin, pressing lightly, so she had to look at him.  He loved the feel of her skin.  It was just skin, but it was her, and he wanted to touch her everywhere.

“Hey, it’s ok,” he comforted noticing the tears in her eyes, “I can go get Lyla.”

“No!” Felicity interjected quickly, wincing at the pain it caused.  “I don’t know who Lyla is.  I don’t…Can you…I mean I know it’s weird, but can you just help me?” Felicity’s voice got quieter as her ramble continued.  Oliver couldn’t respond.  It was as if his throat dried up, so he just nodded. 

He helped her sit up, one arm supporting her back with the other on her forearm.  She winced, pain shooting down her back into her leg.  She was only in her tank top and pants, but suddenly, she felt overwhelmed.  She couldn’t even sit up without pain.  Tears involuntarily slide down her cheeks.  She bent her head, trying to hid her face.

“Hey, it’s ok.  I got you,” Oliver whispered softly as he climbed onto the bed, careful of the wires hooking her up to monitors.  He positioned himself behind her, lifting her up gently in the process, cradling her with his entire body.

“No, no….please,” Felicity gasped, her breathing turning shallow again, her hands pushing against his thighs, pain pulsating through her entire body at her exertion.  She knew it was Oliver, knew she could trust him, but she didn’t like having him behind her.  It felt too much like Gideone.  Realizing this, he gently lifted her again, placing her on his lap, feet dangling over the side of the bed.  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him.  Her tears soaked through his tee shirt, sobs wracking her body.  He held her tighter as her body continued shaking, and his heart broke for her.

*****

She had fallen asleep on him, but he didn’t mind.  He rubbed her back and breathed in her scent, calming both of them.  She stirred, her breath warm on his chest, and her nose skimming his neck, giving him goosebumps. 

“Oliver,” she whispered as she lifted her head.  He turned his head slightly to look at her, realizing how close they were, his heart stammering in his chest.  Their noses were almost touching, their lips inches apart.  He could have stayed like that forever.  There was something about her.  About them.  This is where he was meant to be. 

“Can you help me change now?” she said with a soft giggle that made his lips twitch.  He turned her slightly, so her body was aligned, and pulled the black fabric of her tank top up, her arms raising to help him.  His fingers ghosted across her skin, and he could see the trail of goosebumps they left, but he tried to ignore it.  He tossed the shirt to the side table and grabbed his own tee shirt, quickly unfolding it, trying not to look at the gorgeous woman sitting in his lap.  He tugged it gently over her head and cataloging each bruise on her body, vowing to give Gideone two bruises for each one Felicity had.  Rage bubbled in his chest and under his skin, but he kept his breathing even and calm, for her.

He lifted her small body up gently, cradling her against him.  She winced as he stood and laid her back on the bed.  He looked at her waiting for permission before continuing, and she just laughed.  He would never get tired of hearing her laugh.  She undid the button on her jeans and started to remove them but gasped sharply as she tried to sit up.  He stepped in then, not wanting to hear or see her in pain, and removed her jeans.  He saw the bruises on her muscular legs.  He bit back his rage focusing on putting his sweatpants on her.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she laid back on the bed already half way to sleep, her fingers finding his and holding on tight.


	11. The Cabin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is a filler chapter, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

“Felicity, you can’t drive.  Your leg is swollen.  I’m going with you,” Oliver demanded as Felicity sat on the edge of the bed.  It wasn’t fair.  The way he said her name, like he was tasting and savoring every syllable, and it always made her think of him tasting and savoring other parts of her.  Which was completely inappropriate given their current situation.  Still, he wanted to go with her.

Of course, she argued with him, but internally she was grateful.  She wanted him with her.  Always.  Was it too soon for that? 

“Oliver, I have to get a new laptop and new clothes.  It’s not just driving to Oregon.  There will be a lot of pit stops,” Felicity argued back.  She didn’t know why she was arguing, except that she couldn’t ask Oliver to go with her.  She didn’t, but he offered.

“This is non-negotiable.  We’ll drive a few hours out of town and then stop at whatever stores you want to,” Oliver replied trying to keep his voice calm and his tone neutral. Felicity bit her bottom lip as he placed his hands on his hips, his tee shirt tightening across his muscles.  She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she just nodded slowly.

*****

She honestly did not know how she let this happen.  One minute, she was sitting on the bed at the ARGUS safe house, and the next minute, she was wrapped in his leather jacket and hoisted into his arms.  His jacket was warm and smelled like him, and she just wanted to curl up and sleep in it.  But his arms were around her, radiating more warmth and surrounding her with his scent.

He gently placed her in the passenger seat of his car, tightening his coat around her, and buckling her seatbelt.  She had tried to walk to the car herself.  She really did, but she was in pain just breathing, and she couldn’t put too much weight on her legs.  Oliver had given her a stern look when she tried but kept his mouth shut.  Smart man.

He lowered her seat back, so she was laying as flat as possible to reduce her pain.  It was such a thoughtful gesture that Felicity could feel her eyes tearing up. 

*****

It took her a minute to realize where she was when she woke up.  She tried to snuggle into Oliver’s leather jacket that was still wrapped around but gasped as pain shot through her side.  She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to breathe through it.

“Felicity, what’s wrong? Are you ok?” Oliver asked with worry lacing his face.  His hand had reached out to her but hovered above her unsure of where was a safe place to touch.

“I’m fine,” Felicity gritted through her teeth.  She released a breath as she laid back and grasped Oliver’s lingering hand.  She squeezed it tight as residual pain ached through her chest.

“There’s a pain killer in the cupholder,” Oliver said quietly, keeping his eyes on the road.  She watched him, watched the tick of his jaw, the tightness of his knuckles on the steering wheel, the tension in the arm of the hand that held hers. 

“It’ll put me right to sleep.  Can we please stop first?” Felicity asked quietly.  She watched his face soften and his arm relax.  His thumb brushed against her knuckles.

“Yeah, then we can stop for the night,” Oliver replied softly.

*****

He drove a couple more minutes until he saw signs for the nearest shopping center.  Felicity’s breaths coming from the seat beside him made his chest constrict.  He could tell she was in pain, but he could also tell she was trying to hide it from him.  He quickly parked the car and went around her side to open the door.

“Shoes,” she said softly, still reclined in the seat with her eyes closed.  The sight of her face contorted in pain broke his heart.  The dim parking lights casting shadows that made it seem worse, or at least he hoped so.

“Right.  Shoes.”  He quickly popped the trunk, grabbed her boots, and ran back to her.  He held them in his hand dumbly as he just stared at her.

“You’re going to have to help me sit up and put them on,” she replied with a light tone as she opened one eye.  He slipped his free hand behind her back and helped her sit up and swing her legs out of the car.  He knelt on the gravel and slipped her boots on her feet.

“I can get you one of those scooter things,” Oliver said after he heard her take a sharp breath.

“Is that you joking because I am NOT riding in a scooter,” Felicity responded stubbornly, “Just get me a shopping cart please.”  He knew that he would not win this argument, so he simply nodded and went to look for a cart.

*****

Felicity was grateful the store was open 24/7.  It took her awhile to get everything that she needed, wobbling through the aisles, leaning on the cart heavily, Oliver grabbing what she requested.  There was a point where she had to stop.  She had stood perfectly still in the middle of the cosmetics aisle and closed her eyes.  She breathed heavily trying not to throw up due to the pain she was in.  She had stood there for so long that she was pretty sure Oliver was getting ready to pick her up and carry her back to the car without getting anything.

She hadn’t hesitated in the underwear aisle, and Oliver followed her lead.  It wasn’t exactly how she thought Oliver would see her underwear for the first time, not that she thought he would see it at all…  He had grabbed the pack in the size she requested, pink and white with pineapples.  If she had any dignity left, she had lost it then, but she kept her embarrassment to herself. 

She was very specific in the electronics aisle.  She smiled weakly at Oliver’s confused look when she spouted off model numbers, but he did well, getting everything she wanted on almost the first try.  They had bickered slightly in the food section, Felicity requesting junk food and Oliver insisting on healthier options.  Her pain was spiking, so she agreed, but she made him load up on coffee.

She didn’t stop again until they were a few feet from the checkout line. 

“Oliver,” she said slowly as she gripped the cart.

“What is it?” he asked worriedly, hands flying all around her but afraid to touch her.

“I don’t have any money,” she said closing her eyes.  Oliver couldn’t help but smirk.

“That’s why I’m here.”

“No, I can’t allow you to do that.  There is a lot of stuff in this cart, expensive stuff,” Felicity argued.

“Hey, you can pay me back ok?”  He nudged her slightly getting her to smile.  She couldn’t believe she forgot money.  She had planned every single detail of escaping.  She had drained money into an off-shore account but forgot to actually get cash.  She shook her head at her idiocy as Oliver stepped behind her and guided the cart to the cashier.

*****

It was late by the time they checked into a remote cabin.  Oliver had carried her in and then brought in all her belongings.  Everything she owned was laid out on the desk in her room.  It could all fit into her new duffel bag.  A new beginning.    

Oliver had drew her a bath, helped her remove her boots and his sweatpants, brought her the toiletries she wanted.  He helped her into the tub, still in his tee shirt, and left her to get cleaned up.  He left the door to the bathroom open but stayed in her room, just in case she needed anything.  She had tried to clean herself up, but she didn’t feel as clean as she wanted to.  It could have been the bruises littering her body or the dinginess of the old cabin – she wasn’t sure.

She was able to wrap the towel around herself before she lifted her leg to get out of the tub and hissed in pain.  Oliver was next to her in a second, and she smiled sadly at him.  He was a gentleman, eyes never glancing at places they shouldn’t.  He tightened the towel around her before lifting her straight out of the tub.  He helped her dress in underwear and a baggy tee shirt, all with the towel still wrapped around her.  She shook her head when he tried to put her new yoga pants on her.  It would be her new uniform for the next few weeks, a variety pack of tee shirts and yoga pants, not that she minded.  But with Oliver’s eyes on her and his hands grazing her skin even platonically, she wondered if she should have gotten something more girly. 

He handed her a pill and a glass of water from the counter.  She was too tired to argue.  She could feel it in her bones.  She took it quickly and let him guide her to her bed.  He helped her get in and fixed the pillows around her.  The cool sheets felt cool against her overheated skin.  He disappeared back to the bathroom, and she heard the water start to drain.  He flicked the lights of and headed to the door.

“Wait,” she blurted out as he was in the doorway, undoubtedly heading for his own room.  “Please don’t go,” her voice trembled.

*****

He had gone, but he came back quickly, showered and changed before climbing into bed next to her.  She was half asleep at that point.  He was clearly trying to give her space, and she would have betted he was on the very edge of the bed.  She was on her side facing him with pillows tucked underneath her pressure points to alleviate the pain.  She reached out, her fingertips brushing his bicep, and she felt him tense.  She let her fingers trail down his arm until they found his hand, and she intertwined her fingers with his before she drifted off into a drug-induced sleep.

*****

She woke up in the middle of the night.  Oliver had shifted closer towards her.  She could feel his breath on the top of her head and feel the pressure of his hand on her hip, his thumb grazing on the patch of skin where her shirt rode up.  His scent and warmth surrounded her.  She reached her arm out, impossible to see anything in the dark without her glasses, and let her fingertips graze over his side.  The feel of him brought her even more comfort.  She removed a pillow that was in between them carefully and threw it to the floor.  The movement caused her to feel some soreness but no stabbing or sharp pains.  She snuggled closer to him slowly without hurting herself and leaned her forehead on his chest.  She closed her eyes and let sleep overcome her once again.

*****

There was something on her head.  Her face was buried in something, and she couldn’t breathe.  She started pushing, pain radiating down her back, but her head was held tightly.

“Felicity, shhhh, it’s me.  You’re ok,” Oliver whispered softly in her ear as she continued to push against his chest.  As she woke up more fully, she felt his hand stroke her hair soothingly.

“Breathe, Felicity.”  At his command, she started breathing deeper, relaxing more.  She picked her head up from his chest and looked into his eyes, studying her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as her hands tightened further in his shirt.  She couldn’t look away from his eyes.  He was studying her, looking for all her fears, reaching into the depths of her soul to discover all her secrets.

“It’s ok.  You’re ok,” he replied softly.  His eyes were soft with sleep.  His hand had moved back to her hip, but his other stayed on her head.  She knew she would be ok with him.  He would keep her safe.  She could rest and not have to worry about staying one step ahead.

She leaned towards him, letting her eyes flutter shut, and brushed her lips against his.  He didn’t react, so she pressed her lips more firmly against his.  It was chaste, but she could feel the heat building within her.  She held her breath as she waited for him to respond and relaxed when his lips shifted, capturing her bottom one in between his.  She couldn’t help but smile.  He gave her another small chaste kiss before pulling away again and resting his forehead on hers.


	12. Understanding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay, but I just didn't feel like writing much after the finale. Thank you for all the wonderful comments, and again I'm so sorry for making you wait so long! I am working on the next chapter, so you shouldn't have to wait as long for the next one. I love you all for sticking with me <3

Felicity’s sleep was fragmented.  But every time she woke up, he was next to her.  He kept his hand gently on her hip, his thumb tracing her skin lazily, comfortingly.  Any shifting she attempted immediately woke him.  He gave her space, letting her settle into the bed in a way that minimized her pain, and then he would fit around her.  His skin was comforting, his scent reassuring, his kiss electric.  She had initiated more kisses.  They made her feel alive, special, like she was a woman.  He always pulled away first as soon as her breathing became ragged.  But his eyes told her all she needed to know.  He didn’t want to push her too far.  He was giving her space, and she appreciated that.

*****

Her anxiety kept spiking.  The painkiller Oliver had given her had helped her sleep deeply during the intermittent sleeps, but she was still tired the next morning.  Even though she was moody, Oliver was nothing but patient and sweet with her.  Making her a bagel for breakfast, setting up her laptop for her, making her coffee.  It felt so domestic with him, and she wished more than anything that they could stay hidden away in the cabin forever.

He had taken her for a walk outside at her insistence.  She was feeling less sore, and the weather of partly cloudy skies with a cool breeze was Felicity’s favorite.  He had held her hand and listened to her babble about the most ridiculous things: species of worms, weather patterns, how paper is made, and the horrifying babble of how humming birds procreate.  She had blushed profusely, but Oliver had just smiled, stealing sideways glances at her.

He had made her a healthy lunch to which Felicity rolled her eyes when he placed it in front of her, but she had to admit it was delicious.  She sat at the table, nursing a second cup of coffee, working on her laptop, as he started prepping dinner.  She wasn’t sure why he needed to start making dinner so early, but she wasn’t about to question him.  There was something about the domesticity of him cooking and her working that felt so right. 

The familiar sound of her fingers dancing over the keyboard brought her comfort.  She hacked into every database in order to erase her marriage to Gideone, and she hacked the State Department in order to copy a passport.  She had never made a fake ID before, but she was confident she could pull off two passports. 

“I just need to print these off, and then we’ll be good to go,” Felicity announced before taking a sip of coffee.

“Good to go with what?” Oliver questioned as he continued chopping some herb Felicity had never seen before.

“Passports, well, fake passports.  So we can get to Canada without being traced,” she replied matter-of-factly.  She watched as Oliver put the knife down carefully, and her stomach dropped.  She knew.  Without him saying anything, she knew.

“Felicity, I can’t.” 

“Right.”  She drained the rest of her coffee and stood slowly.  She still felt achy, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle.

“I’m just going to go take a nap,” she said softly.  She had to get out of the kitchen.  She should have known better.  One kiss didn’t mean anything.  Even if it was more than one.  It was just the situation.  There was no way Oliver felt anything.  There was no way he wanted to run away with her.

*****

When she woke up, she felt discombobulated.  It was dark outside, and she was bundled in what felt like every blanket in the entire cabin.  The pain killer she took right before laying down did the trick and knocked her right out.  She wanted to stay in her cocoon of warmth and comfort, but her stomach was grumbling loudly.  She slipped out of her warm cocoon and slipped her glasses back on.  She was hoping it was late enough that Oliver would be asleep.

Felicity had put socks on in order to sneak into the kitchen without being heard. She was relieved to hear the shower going in the hall bathroom, as she glanced at the oven clock. 11 PM. She had slept all afternoon. And evening.

There was a note on the table in what Felicity assumes was Oliver’s scribble, “Plate in the fridge.” She couldn’t help but smile. It was sweet. He didn’t have to do that. She would have found food in the fridge anyway.

She was surprised at how good the plate looked, like one of those grommet dishes but with a more normal portion size. She silently cursed the ding of the microwave, but the water was still running, so she figured he wouldn’t have heard it. To say she enjoyed whatever it was that he made, some sort of fish with a lemon-garlic sauce and some asparagus-noddle thing, would be an understatement. She didn’t think she had ever tasted something so good, which was saying something since Gideone was known for hiring the best chefs from Italy and paying a hefty price for it too.

“Felicity.” She looked up, startled, to hear him say her name. She hadn’t even noticed the water turned off.

He was not playing fair. He stood there shirtless, leaning against the door frame, sweatpants hung low on his hips, a bead of water traveling down his chest, saying her name all huskily like that.

She continued to stare at him, in the eyes, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her ogle him.

“Felicity, I’m sorry,” he said so quietly. If she wasn’t watching his lips, she wouldn’t have known he was talking. She simply cocked her head. That wouldn’t cut it for her.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I want to go with you, but I can’t. Mariano is expecting me.” He still hadn’t moved from the doorway, and she wasn’t getting more annoyed with him.

“You know, I’m a genius?  Like a real genius?  My mom had me tested when I was a kid,” Felicity asked in a light tone as she took her plate to the sink and rinsed it before turning back to him.

“I don’t know how Mariano plays into Gideone’s business, but I know the business isn’t about wine. That’s just a front, Oliver. There’s drugs and weapons and prostitution bordering sex trafficking,” Felicity explained as she crossed her arms across her chest defensively and leaned against the sink.

“I know,” Oliver responded quietly, “Mariano wants to get back to wine. Maybe open a restaurant. He’s legit.”

“Then let me help you,” Felicity responded quietly, “I’m already bleeding him dry. I can hack into all of his accounts.” Her voice was confident, but Oliver smiled sadly.

“We can’t do this remotely, Felicity. There will be a price to pay if Mariano wants to take over.

“Why not? I can hack the security cameras. Send evidence to the police.”

“Felicity, the police are in Gideone’s pocket,” Oliver responded on a sigh. Felicity could feel her cheeks burn red. Of course, they were. She should have known that.

Oliver crossed the room to her. She could smell his freshly showered scent.

“And I can’t have anything happen to you. I would never forgive myself,” he said softly.  He dipped his head just so.  His lips were a pucker away from hers.  His one hand rested lightly on hers.  If she wanted to, she could kiss him so easily.  He was right there, waiting for her to come the rest of the way.

“Oliver,” she whispered as she closed her eyes, “I can make my own decisions.”  She opened her eyes and looked to his.  It was clear to her that he was not expecting her to say that.

“I want to help, Oliver,” she said with conviction.  He pulled back.  His lips were still close, but he removed his arm from her hand.

“I’ll work remotely, just outside the city.  You can go in,” Felicity argued, uncrossing her arms and leaning them both on his now crossed ones.

“Felicity, it’s not safe.”  She could see the fury written on his face, the hard lines, the scowl starting to appear.

“Oliver,” she said surely as she rocked up onto her toes to be closer to him, “If anything should go wrong, I trust that you’ll be able to keep me safe.”  Her grip tightened on his arms; her eyes peered into his, trying to convince him.

“What if I can’t?” he argued right back.  Felicity scoffed.  She seriously doubted that he wouldn’t be able to protect her.  He was strategic and instinctual and observant.

“Well,” she sighed as she broke contact with him and sauntered towards the doorway, “I got out of the mansion.  I planned everything and had backup plans to backup plans.  If we plan it right, I won’t need you to keep me safe.”  She saw his shoulders tense when she said she wouldn’t need him before he turned towards her.

“Seriously?  Gideone beat you!  Were you planning on that?” Oliver’s voice was low and growly.  She knew she was close to a blow up, but she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her.

“Yes,” she said with a nod and a roll of her eyes, “Maybe not Gideone per se but one of his goons.  It’s why I asked you to be on standby.  YOU were my backup plan because I knew I could trust you.” Her voice grew louder with conviction, and she could see his face start to soften.

*****

Felicity glanced at her phone for what felt like the millionth time in the last fifteen minutes.  2AM.  It was only 2AM, except she felt like it was 2AM the last million times she looked at her phone.  She groaned and rolled over into a pile of pillows.  Physically, she was feeling better, still a little sore.  Emotionally, she was raw, but she didn’t have the courage to ask Oliver to stay the night with her again, and he hadn’t offered.  She had to admit.  That stung. 

She regretted taking the pain killer earlier.  She wasn’t in enough pain to justify taking another one, but since she slept all day, she couldn’t sleep.  She had downloaded some books onto her phone, but she was too worked up to focus.  She needed to work off her excess energy, but it wasn’t like she could go for a run or go to the gym.  She sighed again as she rolled over onto her back. 

She wasn’t sure where her courage came from, but she slipped out of bed.  She was only wearing one of her new oversized tee shirts, but she didn’t care.  She slipped her glasses onto her nose, grabbed her phone, and slipped down the hall towards Oliver’s bedroom.  She stood outside the open door, hesitating for a moment before she knocked softly.

“Oliver?” she whispered.  She heard rustling and could see him turning over in the bed.

“You ok?” he asked hoarsely.

“Yeah, I just can’t sleep, and I…” she trailed off, not knowing how to express what she was doing.  Crawling into bed with a man she barely knew?  It wouldn’t be the first time.  The first time, it was with her husband.  She cringed just thinking about it.  Oliver sat up and cleared his throat.

“Come here,” he finally said as he pulled the blankets back, indicating for her to jump in.  She sighed with relief and climbed in beside him.

“Are you tired?” he asked as he scooted over to give her more room. 

“No,” she sighed deeply, “I’m sorry.  I don’t know why I came in here.  I don’t want to keep you up.”

“It’s fine.  I can’t sleep either,” Oliver admitted as he settled onto his back, mirroring Felicity’s position, “I keep thinking about what you said earlier, about how you can make your own decisions.  Felicity, I’m not doubting you can.  I just don’t think you understand the magnitude of danger.”

“Then make me understand, but please…” she trailed off again, but this time he didn’t offer any words to help her.  “My entire life, men have been making decisions for me.  I can’t have you doing the same.”  She could feel him nod beside her.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked softly.  She could feel his face turn towards her, looking at her in the darkness.

“My father sold me to Gideone,” she said softly, matter-of-factly, her voice devoid of emotion.

“Mariano told me as much,” Oliver admitted, “I can’t imagine why a father would ever do that to his only child. I’m sorry.” His voice was genuine, and Felicity couldn’t help but want to tell him everything.

“My father was a gambler.  He would get in debt, then win big, but this time he didn’t, and he just happened to be in the same casino as Gideone.  Gideone offered to pay, and my father accepted, but my father didn’t have the cash when Gideone wanted his payback, so my father offered me.”  Her voice was shaking by the end, but she refused to cry over the actions of her father, a father who didn’t love her.  “My father left my mother when I was seven.  I hadn’t heard from him, and then one day, Gideone’s goons show up at my mother’s.  One literally flung me over his shoulder and just carried me out.”  Felicity couldn’t stop the bitter laugh that escaped her.

“Felicity, I am so sorry,” Oliver whispered as he turned onto his side toward her.  His hand found her hip bone, his fingers ghosting over her shirt soothingly, and his forehead bent to rest on her shoulder.  “You are worth more than any amount of money,” he whispered against her skin, causing goosebumps to erupt.


End file.
